Enemies: A Love Story
by Kimberley Jackson
Summary: England, 1570 - Irina, a lady involved in international terrorism. Jack, highest councellor of the royal court. Their encounter, a firework of hate, desire and passion...
1. Prologue

**Author:** Kimberley Jackson  
**Title:** Enemies – A Love Story  
**Rating:** R  
**Category:** AU (Out Of Alias)  
**Summary:** England, 1570 - Irina Derevko is a terrorist and a spy who aims at killing England's queen. She's a courageous woman, hiding her dangerous life behind her noble name. Nobody at court would have gotten the idea that Lady Irina Derevko and her sisters are playing leading roles in the terrorist ring. Her cover seems perfect until one evening she's fascinated by one of the contacts she was to meet. Not knowing that he is the queen's chief of security, she flirts with him, even tells him her forename. The queen's personal counselor in security, Jack Bristow, is also fascinated by the courageous and beautiful woman. It's the start of an adventure in which two enemies have to learn to trust each other and look behind the lies they have learned to believe their whole life...

**A/N:** This story was actually started before 'Show Me Heaven', but then discarded as 'BAD'. When I pulled it out again about three months later, I found that it was quite readable and with some changes could actually be a good story. So this is why you will find Maggie in here, a character which was later also written into 'Show Me Heaven'. I thought, this might be nice since you liked Maggie a lot and I also got very fond of her. So here she is again... Old Maggie.  
And another note: Unfortunately I don't know much about English history. I tried to be correct about the names and dates (thanks to my beta cmste at this part! ), but the other facts certainly did not happen as I described them. Just wanted to say that... although it shoul be kind of clear since this is not a history book and clearl marked as AU. 

**Dedication:** This one is dedicated to all the muses that inspire me every day and sometimes make me see a whole story in just a scenery in usual life. Although soem people don't believe in them, I do... so they deserve to be honored.

**Big thanks to cmste and Lynne who did a fantastic job in betareading! **

**_Prologue_**

_England - 1545_

She was alone in the forest... all alone and she was afraid. The large trees around her seemed to threaten her. They seemed to get closer and closer together to imprison her in their midst.

Little Irina started to run.

"Mom... Mommy! Daddy!" Tears filled her eyes, and when she looked down she found herself standing in her nightclothes in the forest. The voices behind her got closer. The trees were against her, darkness was against her... they would betray her and tell the soldiers where to find her. She pressed her teddy close to her chest - the only thing she had been able to save from their house.

Over and over again she tried to run, but her legs wouldn't move – her mind paralyzed by the pictures she had witnessed, frozen by the fear she felt inside. Suddenly, somebody pulled her into the bushes.

"Shhht... don't cry... don't move. It's me..." Katya was there, her older sister by four years, covering her mouth softly with her hand and pulling her shaking little body against her own. Irina found Elena lying in her arms, sleeping. They heard the soldiers passing by and pressed closer into the depths of the bushes.

The men yelled orders to each other and slowly their voices went away. Only when they were merely whispers in the distance, the sisters dared to move.

"Where are mommy and daddy?" Irina asked under tears, her voice a hushed whisper.

Katya looked away, evading her eyes, and was about to get up. "We can't stay here. We have to leave... remember that house dad told us about? We have to..."

"Kat... where is daddy... and mommy?" Irina's voice was louder now, filled with panic and she grabbed her sister's arm, unwilling to let her go. "We have to go back! We have to help them! Those men want to hurt them!"

The nine-year-old Katya looked at her younger sister and touched her cheek. Then, without the slightest hint of emotion the words left her lips – words that formed the unbearable truth.

"We can't help anymore. Mom is dead... and they took dad with them. Come on now!"

Irina just stared into her cold face, then she slapped her sister hard while tears streamed down her cheeks.

"You're lying! You mean little btch are lying! Mom forbid you to do that just to tease me! I HATE YOU!" She screamed, not caring for the soldiers who might still hear them, even if they were already far away. Before Katya could grab her sister, Irina jumped up and just fled into the darkness, not caring where she ran to. Her perfect little world seemed shattered, all her dreams of a bright future broken, since she knew deep within that Katya's words had not been a lie.

She kept running, although her lungs seemed about to burst, until she could make out the shape of their large house in the distance. Reaching it, she stormed through the old metal gate and through the open front door into the house. Everything was destroyed, the most valuable things stolen.

Irina ran up the stairs. "Mommy! Mommy! I'm gonna help you! Where are you? I'm not gonna let them hurt you..." She searched every room, while the tears streamed silently down her cheeks, until she found the woman in the kitchen. She was lying on the table, her eyes closed, her dress soaked with blood and her skin bruised. The little girl started to cry, deafening, pulling at her mother's hand. She climbed onto a chair, then onto the table and shook her mother's shoulders slightly. When the woman didn't move, she finally broke down in tears and pressed her little cheek to her mother's chest, just as they had so often done when they were lying on the armchair where her mother had been reading to her.

She had enjoyed listening to her mother's voice, feeling safe in her warm arms, and finally falling asleep with the rhythmic sound of her mother's heart at her ear. Now all this was gone. The so familiar sound of her heartbeat was gone and suddenly Irina knew for sure that her mother would never read to her again. She wrapped her little arms around the dead body, unwilling to let go.

"Mom... don't leave me... Please come back... Mommy! MOMMY..."

Her nightmare had begun with the awful sound of splitting glass and angry yells earlier that night. Shortly after that her mother had stormed into her room, pushing her outside into the dark floor, urging her to move faster.

"Run..." she had whispered. "Hide in the woods, sweetheart... you gotta go..."

"Mommy... what about you?"

"I'm gonna be okay sweetheart. Run..." She had pulled her daughter to her chest, then removed the little medallion from her neck and put it around her daughter's little neck. "See, I will lend you this and you will give it back to me when we see one another again later. Alright? I promise, I'll be fine! I love you, honey... now go..."

That had been the last time she had seen her mother alive. And now she was lying here, dead, her body slowly getting colder.

"Mommy... you've promised..." the girl sobbed then her voice broke.

It was about two days later when the woman found the little girl hugging the dead body of her mother. She was the daughter of one of the peasants in the nearby village and had barely enough to eat. So she was always looking around for work or something to steal. The broken windows and the open front door of the house had caught her attention and so she had entered the house, hoping to find anything valuable. But what she saw when she entered the little kitchen almost broke her heart. Her mind worked unbelievably rationally when she understood that the child was not dead, as she had assumed at first. She tried to pull the girl away from her dead mother, and when she refused, she softly loosened the little fingers from the clothing and took her into her arms.

"Shhh.... it's okay, little one."

At first Irina was unable to move, she just sobbed, her whole mind caught in a state of shock, her body weak from hunger and coldness, but when the woman went to leave the room, she started to struggle and beat the woman.

"No! NO... Mommy... Don't take me away from my mom..."

It took the woman quite some time to calm the girl down. "Your mother is dead, darling..." she explained softly and finally Irina broke down on the ground. The woman went to her knees next to her, unable to soothe the pain of the girl. When her tears had subsided, Irina just stared paralyzed at her little teddy which was red from blood.

The strange woman started to clean her face from blood and tears and finally smiled.

"I am Maggie... what is your name?"

Irina just looked at her, refusing to let her take the teddy to wash it, instead she pressed it to her heart as if her life depended on it. Maggie's face got serious again and she touched the girl's cheek.

"It's okay if you don't want to tell me... Are you hungry?"

When Irina nodded slowly, Maggie smiled and lifted her up into her arms. "Fine... then I will take you to my house and arrange for a meal for you... okay?"

Irina just looked at her and Maggie carried her out of the house. She left the property through the gate and went onto the small stony way into the direction of the village.

"Irina..." A tiny voice finally whispered. "My name is Irina Derevko."

"Nice to meet you, Irina Derevko." Maggie replied, smiling.

She took the girl into her house and started to research about what had happened. She learned that the dead woman was Lady Tatyana Derevko.

English soldiers had raided the Derevko's property that night, had raped and killed Irina's mother, then kidnapped her father. She also learned that Irina had two sisters, one elder than her and the other one still a baby, and did everything to find them. The people in the village helped her and searched the whole region until they finally found them hidden in a house deep in the forest.

Two weeks after that, Irina's father reappeared. He had been able to escape the soldiers before they reached the tower prison. Not able to express how glad he was that Maggie had taken care of his children despite the fact that she was so poor that she was barely able to buy enough food for herself, he took the woman with him to take care of the girls. After burying his dead wife, he left the region and settled far away in a new home.

Lord Sergeji Derevko hoped that the new place and the obviously warm-hearted, friendly woman would make his daughters forget someday about what they had been forced to experience that night.

He didn't even guess how much the happenings had changed his two eldest daughters. Katerina and Irina had given each other the promise that they would live their lives taking revenge for the crime that had been done to their family. They were determined to kill the person who had ordered the soldiers to raid their house that night – Elizabeth, queen of England.


	2. Two Hearts

_**Part 1 – Two hearts**_

_England 1570_

The nights were dark and humid, not much of a difference to the temperature of the day. The sky was black, only the moon spending some light and millions of stars shimmering like diamonds.

There was no chance the dark figure that ran through the forest could be seen by anyone. The person seemed to know exactly where to go. The dark cape prevented her from being recognized.

Only when she could make out a small fire somewhere between the trees she stopped running. Carefully she approached the small clearing, finding a man sitting at the fire – her contact? Probably, but it could as well be a trap and she wasn't very fond of the thought of spending the rest of her life in the Tower Prison.

She took a deep breath and decided that it was best to check the situation. She stepped out of the woods, approaching the fire slowly.

When the man suddenly got aware of not being alone anymore he jumped up and pointed his weapon on the dark figure.

"Who are you?" His voice was leveled and totally under control. He was obviously not afraid at all.

"I'm sorry, Sir, I got lost in these woods..." she said in the most miserable tone she was capable of.

"A woman?" He dropped his gun. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. Where is your maid... or your servants?"

"I went here alone..."

"Why would you do something stupid like that?" he asked with a certain amount of amusement in his voice. She decided that they had made enough smalltalk.

"I had my reasons... what are you doing here?"

"Spending the night..." he answered unwillingly. 

"Alone?" That question of hers had been wrong. His mistrust immediately returned and he looked around.

"Why – is a group of outlaws waiting in the dark to rob me?" he asked and looked at her. "Show me your face."

"The night is too dark for the elves to light it!" she murmured the keywords and saw him stiffen.

"The day is too light for the devil to darken it." He replied his part of the keywords. "You are my contact? A woman?"

"If you have a problem, I will go away and tell our leader that you aren't willing to talk to a woman. We'll see whether he will still be interested in helping you then!"

"I just didn't expect a woman to be sent on this dangerous meeting. Where I come from a woman would be scared of going alone into the forest at day – not even to mention at night." He replied amused and sat down.

"I am not like the other women!" she replied coldly. "Can we talk business now?"

"You're pretty straight-forward, Miss..."

"There is no need for you to know my name." She replied and sat down opposite to him, careful to keep her face in the shadow of her cape.

"But I'm sure they've told you my name. That's an advantage for you. Another advantage would be, that you can see my face, I can't see yours!"

"I'm just here to discuss the plan, which I will deliver to the leader then. There is no need to know more of me than that."

"Fine, but I don't feel comfortable talking to a person I can't see the face of. Or, Milady, are you afraid of being too ugly to take that cape off? Well, that wouldn't amaze me - a woman who runs through a forest at night can certainly not have the class of a true..." He interrupted himself and caught his breath when she finally revealed her face to him. Her eyes were sparkling with fury - so far she had reacted as he had wanted her to, but that was the only thing he had been prepared for. Full brown hair framed a face as beautiful as he had never seen before. She must be of his age, maybe a little younger and yet she looked breathtakingly beautiful. Her eyes, which were gleaming dark in the dim light of the fire, together with her appearance gave her the most delightful exotic look he had ever seen.

"You decide." She hissed at his provocations and her eyes never left his.

Mental note, he thought, she must be a woman of a higher rank. No other woman he had met by now had been able to look that intensely into the eyes of a man – except for the queen herself. He almost felt sorry for her when he thought about the fate she would have. As soon as she left the clearing she would be caught by his soldiers waiting in the shadows of the trees.

"So, what is your message? When is the queen to be assassinated?"

"Who is your assassin?" 

"That's none of your business!"

"I need to know!"

"No, Mr. March, you want to know. There's a difference!" she replied dryly and he wondered whether she was married. What was her status? It didn't take him much time to make his decision. He got up and went around the fire to sit down next to her. She looked at him with raised eyebrows.

"I have to warn you. I may seem like a weak woman, but the moment you make any inappropriate move, you will never see dawn again." Her voice was neutral and she didn't seem to be afraid at all – amazing, he thought to himself. Just as she had said, she was definitely not like any woman he had met before now.

He lowered his face to hers, until they were only inches apart. He felt her reaching for something and caught her wrist in his.

"Listen to me!" he demanded before she could stab him – or whatever had been in her mind. "I am not Mr. March."

She looked into his eyes, obviously knowing what his revelation meant. "So then I take it that March is dead, you tortured him for the information where to meet me and now you're here to arrest me. Nice... what's your name?"

Her ability to put the pieces together was unsurpassed, he had to admit that silently.

"Bristow. My team of fifty soldiers is waiting in the forest to arrest you as soon as you leave this clearing."

She looked at him, her expression not changing. "So then I'm going to die..."

"You're a woman, Miss...?" He looked at her, the question standing in his face. When she didn't react he couldn't help but grin amused. "Don't you think this would be a good time to tell me your name?"

"There's never a good time for that when talking to one of the bastards who serve the queen. So, what do you expect from me? You are certainly not telling me all of this for no reason." His eyes – good god - she had never seen beautiful eyes like his. It felt like she was drowning in them like quicksand – the more she struggled against it, the faster she sank.

"No, you're right. I'm telling you because I offer you to work for us as a mole. You're a woman and I would hate to see you tortured."

"You're helping me... interesting. What do you expect me to do? Share your bed?" she challenged with a hint of disgust in her voice and looked away into the darkness of the trees. It shocked her how much she liked just thinking about the possibility to go to bed with this man – a man she didn't even know!

"Your opinion of me is not the best, is it?" he asked. "I want to help you and spare you the torture and prison, in return I want you to help me in securing the queen. Help me bring the rebels down, as my contact."

"You're asking me to save my own life by betraying my people and ideals! No man with the slightest hint of honor in his blood would agree to an offer like that!" she hissed into his face and he smiled.

"I appreciate your honesty – not to mention your loyalty towards yourself. You're an amazing woman, ..." Again the hidden question for her name. She sighed.

"Irina..." she murmured. "That's the only name you get from me."

"Irina..." he repeated and before she knew what was happening, his lips touched hers in the lightest kiss. "I promise, all you have to do is inform me about the plans of the rebels. That's all I expect..." The next kiss was deeper, more playful and set their blood to fire. When they broke apart, he let go of her wrist.

"What's your answer?" he asked and she smiled.

"My answer is..." She looked into his eyes for a moment. "...that I can't be bought, Mr. Bristow. It's a gracious offer, but no thank you!" Her thumb stroked over his lip in a soft gesture, then suddenly she pushed him away hard, jumped up and fled into the darkness of the forest.

He moaned in a mixture of pain and surprise and got up to go after her, when he heard the forest coming to life. Obviously his soldiers were already taking care of her. He sighed. Never ever had there been somebody contradicting him. At court the men never did question his orders or offers and the women usually wanted to draw his attention. But she was different – she was honest. The first woman who had pushed him away – not only literally, but also practically. By doing so she had caught his interest.

About half an hour later the captain of his soldiers entered the clearing.

"Sir, she's gone!"

"What do you mean by gone?"

"Well... she sort of disappeared!"

"Was there an army of rebels defending her?" Being asked that sarcastic question, the captain shook his head. Jack Bristow was calm, his expression neutral – which was very dangerous. "Then how can she just disappear? You were fifty soldiers against one single woman!"

"I don't know! We've searched everywhere!"

"Well then search again! I want you to find her and take her to pris... no, take her to me! I want to talk to her!"

"Yes, Sir."

The man hurried away and Jack sighed. After all, it was his fault. What had been the matter with him telling her that this was a trap? He couldn't blame his men. If he hadn't told her, but arrested her first, then offered her to work with him, she wouldn't have been able to flee. But somehow her charm had enchanted his reason – which was the most amazing thing since she hadn't even tried to be nice.

Irina, he thought. Well, she should be easy to find. Irina wasn't a usual name and since she had been here without a horse or any other kind of transportation, she most likely lived somewhere near this forest. Next time he would be prepared for her tricks.


	3. Comedies

_**Part 2 – Comedies**_

Two days later

"Katya, Katya!" 

The woman ran over the grass of the wide field towards the huge house. She didn't bother to wait until the housemaid opened up, but climbed over the gate and ran to the door. Before she could knock it was opened, the strict face of the maid looking at her. 

"Miss Elena, how often did I tell you to wait until I open up. A woman doesn't just climb..."

"Sorry, Maggie... is my sister here?"

"Which one?" the woman asked.

"Oh my god, Irina is here?" Elena passed her by. "Where is she?"

"She's in the living room... at least she was when I looked five minutes ago!"

"I thought she went to London yesterday!"

"No, she didn't. Something went wrong on the operation two days ago. She could be recognized if near the queen. Katya went to London instead of her."

"Damn it!"

"Miss Elena!" Maggie cried out, almost breaking down. She had raised the three women. While she had managed to make Katya and Irina true ladies – at least sort of – she had failed gloriously in Elena's case. "For the hundredth time: Women don't curse!"

"What's going on?" Irina looked out of the large living room, a book in her hand.

"Oh, Irina, why haven't you gone to London?"

"Because Katya went! Nice to see you too, by the way. Where have you been? Crawling in the bushes?" Irina looked in disbelief at the totally ruined dress of her younger sister. It really looked as if she had just been swimming in a puddle of dirt. 

"Stop being sarcastic! There's someone down in the village, asking for you." Elena explained, trying to catch her breath. "The baker's wife told him that a woman called Irina lived up here. When I spoke to the librarian, he told me this man is a high ranking counselor at court. And he's on his way..."

"Damn it!" Irina hissed and Maggie had to hold on to the wall when she heard the second woman start to curse.

"What the hell did you do to catch the attention of the head of the queen's army?" Elena asked her, panicked.

"Nothing... well... I showed my face to one of the soldiers. I couldn't know that it was a set up!"

"And did you write your name on your forehead or what?" Elena snapped. "How the hell does he know your name?"

"I told him!" Irina admitted and now it was Elena almost breaking down.

"She told him!" she said to Maggie and turned to Irina again. "Are you out of your mind? Why not handing him a list with everybody involved, shackling yourself, and turning yourself in to prison? Wouldn't make much of a difference, would it?" Elena asked Maggie with a huge amount of sarcasm in her voice. The old maid shook her head strictly to cut her off.

"However, your sarcasm is not very helpful here," Maggie said sharply. "Instead of discussing what you can't change anyway you should rather hide, Irina!"

"That's ridiculous. I'm not hiding! You just don't let him in, Maggie." Irina decided, her voice certain and without fear.

"Well, problem number two. He has a letter that allows him to search every house... so he doesn't need our permission to get in. That's the problem when the security of the queen is endangered!" Elena reported and Irina turned around.

"In that case, I'll really leave the house and go somewhere else..."

"Where?" Elena and Maggie asked at the same time.

"Somewhere. No need to tell you. The less you know the less information you can give away. Elena, hang your white blanket out of the window when he's gone!" Irina said, and rushed away. Elena and Maggie looked at each other, then Maggie set herself into motion.

"Okay, Miss Elena, you look like you've just run here from the village – which you did, so I suggest we make you look like a lady. Here's the plan. You pretend to be Irina. Come on... you've got to change!"

About twenty minutes later Elena was looking like the perfect lady. Maggie had done her best to turn her boyish outside into a female one, and she was content with her work.

Only five minutes later they heard noise at the gate. Maggie left the house.

"May I help you?" she asked the visitor outside the large metal gate and the man looked at her through the bars.

"I was told in the village that a woman named Irina lives here. I need to talk to her."

"I'm afraid, Lady Irina is unavailable at the moment." Maggie replied courteously and the man frowned his forehead, then pulled out the official letter which allowed him to enter the house. "Oh... I'm sorry, Sir, I didn't know you were sent by the queen." She opened the door and let him in.

Elena was sitting in the living room, reading. When Maggie knocked, she sat up straight and played the lady of the house.

"Milady, there's a man who wants to talk to you." She winked at Elena and the woman got up. 

"Maggie, didn't I tell you to send all visitors away today?"

Maggie had almost started to laugh at the arrogant tone in Elena's voice which was usual at court. She had to admit that, even if Elena was not at all a lady to show around, she was certainly an excellent actress. "I'm sorry, Miss, but he's been sent by the queen."

"Fine, send him in."

Maggie opened the door and let the man enter the room. He looked around and when he caught glimpse of the woman in the armchair, he raised his eyebrows.

"This is not Irina!"

"Excuse me?" Elena got up and Maggie didn't believe her eyes when she behaved like a true lady in her reaction. "Have you come to my house to offend me, Sir? Isn't it habit at court to introduce yourself when entering a house? I can't remember you having done so!" She sounded really offended and Maggie had a hard time trying to hide her grin, since she knew that usually Elena didn't care a penny for habits and manners.

"I apologize. My name is Jack Donahue Bristow, Lord of Kent, I'm here to talk to Irina – which is not you!" His voice was level, but the way he said the words allowed no contradiction.

"Maggie, would you tell this gentleman who I am?"

"Sir, this is Lady Irina Laura Derevko, daughter of Sir Sergeji Vladimir Derevko!" Maggie presented Elena in the most perfect manner.

"The baker told me, Lady Irina's hair was long and brown. This lady's hair is short and brown."

"Um... I had it cut yesterday!" Elena explained.

"Interesting... especially since it was still long when you were in the bakery this morning!" Jack stated courteously and Elena looked at Maggie, silently pleading for help.

"Miss Irina suffers from an illness, Sir. She's unable to measure time... she's a little crazy." She pronounced the last word lower as if Elena mustn't hear it, and Jack looked at her, quite amused by the comedy those two women were playing here obviously.

"I cut her hair two hours ago." Maggie hurried to add and smiled friendly.

"As much as I enjoy this little play, I'd rather talk to Irina herself now." He finally said. "And I suppose you're Elena – her sister with short brown hair."

"What are you, a goddamned spy?" Elena snapped insulted and let herself fall to her chair, all manners suddenly gone. She hated to lose. "You're right, I'm Elena. Irina is currently unavailable."

"Where is she?"

"She's in London." Elena lied and again Maggie was surprised how convincing her words sounded. This time not even Jack Bristow seemed to have doubts.

"In London?" he asked and shook his head in disbelief.

"Yes. I assume that you're the person who almost caught her two nights ago. She thought that you would be busy with searching for her here, because after you have seen her you would think that she would never be foolish enough to go to London. So that's where she went."

"Point for her!" he murmured and looked from one woman to the other. "Would you excuse me? I have to... go to London!"

"Bristow!" Elena snapped and Maggie gasped for air at this absolutely insulting address, expecting to watch her lady be arrested at once.

"Miss Elena?" Jack replied controlled and turned around once more to look at the woman.

"What do you want from Irina?"

"I want to talk to her... that's all!" he replied and Maggie looked at him surprised, then her eyes rested on him thoughtfully.

"Oh, I believe you!" Elena said sarcastically. "Talk to her in the torturing room of the Tower, right?"

"No. Just talk to her!" he answered and turned around.

"Irina told me that it was a soldier she gave her identity to, not a Lord or higher ranking officer. I think you're lying to us about being the one who met her."

"I was in disguise – she probably thinks I'm just a common soldier. We could resolve those doubts if she was here to talk to me. Since that's not the case, any kind of discussion is useless. Have a nice day."

With these words he left. Maggie was so confused that she didn't even accompany him out the door. The two women looked at each other, then they rushed to the window and observed him leave.

"I don't know..." Maggie finally said as he was gone. "It seemed as if he really just wanted to talk to her."


	4. Tricks

**_Part 3 – Tricks_**

They waited another two hours, peeking through the small window of the kitchen to be sure Jack Bristow didn't return, until Maggie went upstairs to hang the white sheet out of Elena's room.

When Irina saw it, she left her hiding spot and went carefully out of the small forest over the field back to the house. She wore a blouse and the pants the tailor had made for her. Women in pants were scandalous – but she didn't care. She needed them on her operations. Long dresses were a curse for every woman who had to run and be able to defend herself.

When she reached the large fence behind the house, she climbed over it like she and her sisters had always done in their childhood. Despite its height of almost three meters, the sisters were very well trained in climbing over it – a fact which had driven their father crazy. Irina sighed when she remembered her father. He had died eleven years ago in a revolt, killed by a soldier of the queen. The whole fight had been a massacre. The revolutionists had never had a chance, yet the soldiers had slaughtered them in the most cruel fight. When she had still been unsure whether fighting was the right way – despite her mother's death – that day had changed her mind. She was determined to kill the queen with her own hands to take revenge for the useless deaths of her parents.

She looked to the ground, scanning it carefully for larger stones before she jumped into the garden. When she lost a shoe during the process she cursed silently. She bent down to collect it out of Maggie's roses, when a voice startled her.

"I don't know, London has changed a lot, don't you think?" She spun around, her face in shock when Jack Bristow was standing right behind her, looking around in the garden. "Not at all the London I remember!"

She didn't know what he was talking about, and actually she wasn't even interested in learning. All that mattered was that he was here – in her garden. Fleeing into the house was not an option, neither was going the same way back since he would have caught her before she even reached the fence. But running through the front gate was possibly worth trying...

"I don't know what you are talking about," she finally stated and pulled on her lost shoe slowly.

"So, Lady Irina Laura Derevko." His voice was almost tender. "Nice to meet you again."

"I wish I could return that." She replied coolly. "But, unfortunately, my amount of time is limited and I don't waste it on lies!"

"Charming as always." Jack replied coolly. "I knew that you were somewhere near the house when I found your sister and your maid playing this little comedy inside."

"How smart you are... I'd be impressed if you weren't such a prick." With these words she started to run. She had an advantage. She knew this house and its hidings, he didn't. 

He, on the other hand, had expected her to try to run away. Another amazing side of her. He had never met a woman who could actually run fast. Despite her really amazing skills, he had caught up with her thirty meters later. When she knew that running had not been the successful method, she turned around unexpectedly and attacked him, her fist hitting him hard in the stomach. Although her punch left him breathless for a second, he managed to grab her fist tightly. She started to struggle against him and tried to free her hand.

When she stumbled over a stone right behind her, he hadn't seen it coming. He tried to hold her – a mistake since he stumbled over her in the process, and finally they were lying in the grass with his body covering hers.

"May I talk to you now - please?" he asked breathlessly and looked down at her, his eyes sparkling with amusement. She returned his look with a murderous expression on her face.

"Get off me, or I'll make you get off!"

"I don't doubt that you're capable of doing so... but I also don't doubt that you'll run away as soon as I let you go."

"That's right!" she simply stated and he couldn't help but laugh.

"Your honesty is refreshing and charming in a strange sort of way..." He shook his head and got up, then offered his hand to help her up. She ignored it.

"So, you're here to arrest me!" she stated and looked down at her ruined outfit. "Then just do it..."

"I will..." he replied, smoothing out his own clothing. "But first I wanted to..." He had only looked down for one second, but this was enough for her to bring him down with a hard punch that seemed to press all air out of his lungs. He was lying on the grass, fighting for air.

In a quick move she jumped up and ran towards the gate. She had almost managed to open it when he slammed her against the wall, holding her in place harshly. She cried out in pain.

"Let me make this clear: I don't like to be beaten down. You've wasted enough of my time and I'm tired of your games!"

He turned her around harshly and noticed that she had a scratch on her cheek. Immediately he loosened his grip. He hadn't meant to hurt her.

"Sorry..." he murmured, touching her cheek, but she avoided his touch, her eyes sparkling murderously.

"Go to hell!" she hissed and he dragged her towards the house.

"Come on!"

"Where are you taking me?"

"I'm going to lock you in your room until you're willing to talk reasonably and listen to what I have to say!"

"You have no right to lock me up..." she started and struggled against his grip, but he tightened his hold on her wrists immediately.

"Do I have to remind you of the letter of the queen? I have almost every right I want!"

"I don't care about your queen! She's not my queen, therefore her rules don't count in my house! You're hurting me!"

"I'm sorry for doing so, but if I loosen my grip you'll get free and hurt me, or worse try to kill me!" he replied and entered the house. With Maggie and Elena following him in protest, he dragged Irina up the stairs until they were on the second floor, then he opened the first door he could find. He looked around and found that it had a bed and a fireplace and pushed her onto the bed.

Before she could get up again he had closed the door and locked it from the outside. He took the key and turned to face Maggie and Elena who were standing right in front of him, their eyes wide in shock.

"This door won't be opened, nobody goes in and she won't get out. The only person who opens that door is me, are we clear on that?"

"Ye-yes Sir..." Maggie replied in total confusion, but Elena was not so frightened.

"Excuse me, but you can't just lock her up in there! It's her house! We have rights!"

"Miss Elena, do you want to stay in the room next to hers for the rest of the day? If not, don't start a discussion with me!" With these words he went down the stairs ignoring the two women, and most of all, Irina, who now started to slam her fists against the wood of the door, throwing the worst curses that existed after him. He hated to lock her up, especially since it seemed to outrage her even more, but it was the only way to make sure that she didn't start another foolish attempt to escape. He was tired of going after her.

Soon after he had sat down in the living room, Maggie opened the door and walked in hesitantly. He smiled at her friendly.

"Do you have a place for me to stay? A guestroom or something?"

"Yes, but... you..." she started and folded her arms.

"What?" he asked when he saw the amused blink in Maggie's face.

"You just locked Irina in the guestroom, so the answer would have to be no, we don't have any guestrooms left..."

He sighed and leaned back in the chair. "Is it the only free room?"

"Yes..."

"Then I'll take it. I can keep a better eye on her anyway."

"But Sir!" Maggie cried out and Jack opened his eyes.

"Miss Maggie, your lady has been arrested! She will be charged with treason, a murder attempt, and god knows what else. So, she has no rights left. I wanted to offer her a deal, but the lady was obviously not willing to listen to me. I want to give her a little time to think."

"That never worked!" Maggie replied dryly with a hint of amusement in her voice. "Not even when she was a child!"

"Well, this time it will..." he promised.

When he entered the room two hours later, after Irina's furious screams had subsided, he found her standing at the open window. She was looking down, obviously thinking of an option to jump out of the window.

He shut the door with a loud bang and she spun around. Her eyes pierced him as he went towards her.

"What are you doing here?" he asked and looked out of the window. "Thinking about jumping? There are ten meters at the least. You would break your neck!"

"If you say so..." she replied sharply and he closed the window and turned to her.

"Can we talk reasonably now, or will you attack me again at the next opportunity?" he asked and she laughed sarcastically and went to the door. She found it locked. He held up the key.

"You really thought I was a jerk, didn't you?"

"No..." she replied ironically friendly. "No, jerk would be an understatement. The words in my mind were more like prick, son of a btch, or ass – just to name the kindest ones!"

"Nice..." he stated, raising an eyebrow at those words. "A lady like you shouldn't even know those words – not to mention use them."

"I told you I am not like other ladies." she replied coldly, leaning against the wall. "So, what do you want? You haven't come up here just to annoy me, have you?"

"No!" he admitted. "I want to offer you a deal. I would have done that earlier instead of arresting you here, but you were in that kind of mood where reasonable talking was impossible. I have a job for you – I want you to work with me, to be honest!"

"Work with you?" she laughed sarcastically. "No way!"

"Wait before you refuse. It would only be one mission. One evening – and afterwards I'd promise to forget your name and that you were involved with the rebels."

"You're blackmailing me!" she stated dryly, but he shook his head.

"No, I'm offering you a deal to save yourself."

"No, you're offering me to sell myself... and all that I believe in! Working with you would be like collaborating with the enemy."

"I'm not your enemy – I never was!"

"Oh, I must have missed that part when you locked me in this room – in my own house!" Her voice was sarcastic and she didn't seem to be willing to cooperate at least a little.

"May I tell you what this mission is about?"

"I guess you wouldn't care if I said no, so just do it – since you'll do it anyway."

He sat down on the bed, his eyes resting on her figure. She was beautiful, her shape very female, and yet she was worse to deal with than the angriest man. No wonder she had managed to deal with gangsters without getting seriously hurt. 

"We'll have to work undercover in the 'Blue Star' for one single evening. There are clues that a large smuggler-ring has its meetings there. Maybe the boss of the club himself is involved. I will be there as a guest, but I need a woman who can look behind the scenes and has access to the private rooms. That's what I need you for."

"The 'Blue Star' is a..." she swallowed the word she had meant to come up with, and closed her eyes to calm down. "It's a place where women sell themselves."

"I know." He replied and wanted to add something, but Irina didn't let him finish.

"Ah, I see..." Her voice was sharp, her expression cold now. "You think only because I'm acting like I do and doing things my way, I wouldn't mind to work in a place like that, selling my body to bastards like you!"

"Actually, I thought of you, because you're the only woman I could think of that would not be afraid of doing the job. You're smart and you're beautiful. I wouldn't have to watch you all the time since you're capable of defending yourself so you would be an equal partner. And by the way, for your own sake, I did not hear the last part of your sentence!" He replied amused and she looked at him, her eyes scanning his.

"Yeah, well... no, thanks. I don't think I'll do it!"

"Why not?" he asked at her refusal. "There would be no danger, I'd be right there, if that's what you're concerned of!"

"No, I'm concerned with working for you, and therefore the queen! I'm an enemy of hers and I don't care a penny for whether there are smugglers or not. Maybe your dear queen should lower the taxes to give poor people a chance to buy the things they need legally. That way they wouldn't have to smuggle in order to be able to afford food." Irina explained coldly and turned around. "But why do I tell you that? You don't care anyway!"

"I have to admit the times are not the best for poor people. But blaming the queen is just ignorant. The whole situation is bad and the death of the queen won't change anything! If you're unwilling to help us, I'll have to arrest you for rebelling and planning the queen's murder which – as I think – will lead to your execution." He simply answered and for a moment he feared that she would attack him, when she took a few steps towards him.

"If you think you can threaten me or impress me in any way by doing so, you're wrong! And now leave my room." Her voice was cold and louder than normal. "I gave you my answer, and since you're obviously deaf I'll repeat it: NO. THANK. YOU."

For a moment their eyes fought a battle, then he got up and went to the door. "Maybe I was wrong thinking that two hours time of thinking would be enough. I will give you some more time."

Irina returned his look when he turned around at the door to face her one more time. She shook her head softly. "What I do, Mr. Bristow, is what I believe is right. I won't and I can't do anything else because I would not only lie to the people around me, but also fool myself. If you want to arrest and have me executed for that, feel free to do so, but I want you to know the following two things: First of all, there are many more people who think exactly like me and if you kill me, you could start a revolution right now. Secondly, if you think that I would just surrender, you're mistaken. I will give you a really hard time, every step to prison until you wish you would have just let me go. Are we clear on that?"

He scanned her, his face reflecting his appreciation. "Totally... you're a challenge, Milady, and I like to be challenged. I just have to warn you. I've never lost."

"Well, then it's about time for you to!" she replied fearlessly. The intensity of his gaze suddenly made her go weak in the knees and the thought of their meeting two nights ago crossed her mind – when he had kissed her just out of nowhere. No, it hadn't been just a kiss – it had been the most amazing kiss of her life. Why, was a puzzle to her.

"I guess, we'll talk soon. I'm sure you'll reverse your decision."

"I'm sure I won't. Now leave... and please shut the door!" she added ironically.

"Have a nice afternoon!" he replied bemused and then left the room. Irina sighed when the door had shut behind him. When she heard the key lock the door, she let herself sink into the next chair she could find. Why did she suddenly feel unsure? 

She had never been afraid of death or torture, but now she was afraid and she didn't even know of what, she just knew that it had to do with him – Jack Bristow. It was absolutely necessary to get this man out of her house as soon as possible.

Those men who worked for the queen were all the same. They offered you a deal with the promise to let you go afterwards - a promise which most of them never kept. Irina had read the newest lines by the queen. Rebels had to be brought to prison without exception. So, if Jack Bristow wanted to catch and arrest her friends, he would certainly not achieve that by her help. On the contrary, she would make it pretty clear to him how much she respected the queen's orders.

Suddenly, her sister Katya, who had always known how to get out of dangerous situations, came to her mind. Although her radical methods were not at all appreciated by Irina, they were most of the time very effective. She needed to send a message to Katya somehow, but for that purpose she had to get out of this room.

For now, Jack Bristow thought that she was the only person in this household involved with rebels and smugglers. It had to stay like that. She would have to flee. Maybe she could stay at the house of one of the peasants near the coast for one or two days... then she could probably get over the border to Scotland. She still had many friends in Scotland who, she knew, would support her against the English law. 

In the evening when she heard the sound of the key in the lock, she was prepared to defend her freedom.

Before Jack knew what was happening, Irina pounced on him. Her fist hit him hard in the face and he stumbled back. His obvious surprise giving her the momentary advantage she had counted on.

Within a few seconds he found himself on the ground. His initial consternation had faded, and despite Irina's strength, it didn't take him much of an effort to free from her grip. She struggled against him, unwilling to accept that he was stronger than her.

"Irina... wait!" 

She ignored his yell and smashed her fist into his stomach. The pain and the feeling of not being able to breathe made him aggressive, and so he just grabbed her and threw her against the wall. She cried out in a mixture of pain and rage, but didn't waste a single second. Almost immediately, she resumed her beatings until Jack went to the ground all of a sudden. Breathing heavily, Irina stared at him then looked up and found Elena standing opposite to her, a skillet in her hand.

"Are you insane?" Irina yelled angrily and got to her knees to feel the pulse of the unconscious man. He didn't move, but his pulse was regular. She sighed totally relieved, and for a moment it occurred to her that her relief was founded on more than just the fear of having murdered a man. "This is the queen's head of security, one of the most important men in the kingdom. The least we need now is to be charged with murder! And besides I didn't want you or Maggie involved. I wanted to escape!"

"_We_ are not involved. He didn't see me." Elena simply stated and looked at Maggie who now entered the room, her face growing pale when she saw the unconscious man on the ground.

"Oh my god, is he..." she started under her breath and Irina hurried to calm her down.

"No, he is unconscious, but he is alive – which is a miracle given the fact that my little sister used your skillet." Irina replied, still angry. Elena pulled a face at her sister. Irina shook her head and got up without reacting. Sometimes Elena was worse than a child, and being the woman of almost thirty years that she was, pulling faces was beneath her.

"Fine. I will be gone... don't search for me and don't give him any names! It is most likely that he will have the house and all of you observed. I'll try to contact Katya and meet her halfway to London." Again, she looked down at Jack and couldn't resist touching his cheek. He was handsome – in fact he was the most attractive man she had ever seen in her whole life. If he had just not been one of the queen's counselors... hastily she forced back those thoughts. There were more important things to do than thinking of a man. That was what the ladies at court did, but she was different. She had always been different and she would not turn into one of those emotional, ridiculous chicks.

"Oh, and something else..." Irina looked up at Elena. "You will let him go when he wakes up. Don't hurt him or lock him up. Just let him go, otherwise the two of us will have a serious problem when I'm back..."

With these words she got up and left the room without paying any more attention to the unconscious man. She had to be very careful. Jack Bristow was her enemy and she shouldn't even feel sorry for him...


	5. Promise

**_Part 4 – Promise_**

The sound of fists slamming against wood resounded in the whole house.

"Miss Elena, what are you doing?" Maggie yelled angrily, finding the lady sitting on the ground in front of the door reading a book as if nothing was wrong. "Did you lock him up?"

"Yep," Elena nodded without looking up. "I'm teaching that bastard a lesson about messing with the Derevko sisters."

"If you do not open the door at once I will teach you a lesson about not listening to your sister's orders!" Maggie took the key out of her hand, her eyes not hiding how angry she was. She had always been like a mother for the three girls, but mostly for Elena, who had never known her birth mother. Since their father had died, Elena, who had only been fourteen years old, had been raised only by Maggie and her elder sisters. Despite her status as maid, Maggie had always been a person Elena knew to have respect for.

The maid opened the door and found herself opposite to Jack Bristow who was raging with fury. "Sir, I'm terribly sorry. That wasn't supposed to happen!" she hurried to assure.

"No, it wasn't..." Jack growled, holding his head. Elena got up, her expression not even showing a hint of fear or respect. When Jack saw her, the fury returned to his eyes and he took a step towards her. Panicked, Maggie stepped between him and Elena.

"Sir, she didn't mean it! Lady Elena is just... she's a little stubborn sometimes and acted against her sister's orders. But she didn't mean to insult you." She said sharply with an angry glance at Elena from the side.

"Oh, that's where you are wrong, Mag." Elena stated friendly, her voice not hiding the sarcasm as she now turned her eyes back to Jack. "Hope that was enough for you to know, that we can bring you a lot of troubles, Bristow!" she said coldly. "So if you want some good advice, return to your precious queen and leave us alone!"

"Miss Elena, shut your cheeky mouth and get to your room!" Maggie's voice was shrill with panic and Jack's eyes narrowed when Elena didn't move. Then he decided that the woman was not worth any effort. He could, of course, have her arrested, but that would just raise unwanted questions. For now he was more interested in her beautiful older sister. For a moment he wondered why he was so fixed on Irina – especially after what he had learned about her family. She seemed to be the more reasonable one of the two sisters. If he wanted to arrest somebody, he should probably rather arrest Elena. He forced that thought away.

"Where is Irina?"

"For you, she is Lady Derevko!" Elena replied and sat back down in her chair, her eyes turned back on the book.

"Shut up and just answer my question!" Jack replied, knowing that it was absolutely insulting to cut a lady off, but at the moment he didn't care. 

"She's gone..." Elena simply replied. "And you should leave too. You are no longer accepted as guest of this house – actually, you've never been. Feel free to get some food from the kitchen personnel for your journey back."

Words said, the young woman got up and passed him by, expecting him to follow her. Jack shook his head and looked at Maggie. The old woman held his eyes thoughtfully. She had, of course, noticed the tender gesture in which Irina had touched the man's cheek and she had seen the gleam in his eyes when he was talking to her. Something inside her told her that he could be trusted, although she didn't know where this feeling came from. She grabbed his hands.

"You seem to be a righteous man. Please, find Irina. I'm afraid she's going to do something stupid, and she's all alone out there now."

"I'm pretty sure your lady can take care of herself. You know that I'm going to arrest her if I find her?"

"If you had wanted to do so, she would already be in prison." Maggie replied with unsurpassed astuteness. "And besides, the men Irina is going to contact are more dangerous than you. I'm so afraid they are going to kill her if they learn that her cover has been blown. She trusts them to hide her, but I think they will let her down."

Jack saw that the eyes of the woman started to fill with tears. 

"Sometimes Miss Irina is stubborn, but she's a very nice and charming woman, even if you won't believe me now. She doesn't deserve to be tortured and killed by these men. I don't have time to explain everything to you. Just promise me that you will follow her and make sure that she will be alright. Please..."

Jack just stared at her, unable to believe what the old woman asked of him. "You're asking me to go after your lady, protect her and bring her back safely? You're going to betray her?"

"No, I'm trying to save her life! She and her sisters are so blinded by their ideals that they don't see what the men they trust are able to do. You have to promise me that nothing is going to happen to her... then I will tell you where she went." Maggie grabbed his hands. "Please."

For a long time neither of them spoke a word, then Jack nodded. "Fine. I will follow her and make sure that she will be alright. I will return her here safely, but I can't guarantee what happens afterwards. I don't know how deep she's involved with the revolutionists."

Maggie swallowed hard and looked at the staircase when Elena yelled for them from downstairs. Then she made her decision. She had seen the look in Irina's eyes when she had touched this man's cheek and she knew that Jack had wanted to give Irina a chance to spare her from prison. He wouldn't have done that if he didn't like her. Finally deciding that it was worth a try, she started to speak.

"The leader of the group is a man called Gerard Cuvee. I don't know him, he was just here once. He's why I'm worried about Irina. She works for his section, usually she just does some spying and gets information since a woman doesn't raise suspicion. But what worries me is the unlimited obedience he demands. He won't accept failure and he doesn't accept betrayal. Irina once told me that he shot a man in front of her eyes because he hadn't gotten the information they needed." When Jack wanted to ask something, Maggie hushed him with a gesture. "We don't have time. The group consists of about twenty people, I think. Their headquarters are somewhere near the coast... oh, and before you ask, yes, they are also smugglers. Irina wants to go there, and then, in three days, meet her sister who is staying in London at the moment. Now, I've told you everything I know... hopefully it's enough for you to save her life. And maybe it will be enough to keep Irina out of this..."

"I can't promise you that Irina will be kept out of everything." Jack replied truthfully, then pressed Maggie's hands. "But I do promise that I will give my best to prevent her from being officially involved."

"Thank you..." Maggie smiled. "Go to Hampshire... it's a small village near the coast."

"I will, thank you..."

Jack hurried to leave the house, followed by the dark glances of lady Elena. He wondered what he was doing here. Lady Irina Derevko was a terrorist. He had offered her a deal to save herself, she had refused – instead she had admitted that she will do everything to kill the queen. He should be glad if her own terrorist friends killed her.

Yet, there was something inside him that didn't want her dead. The same feeling that had caused him to warn her two nights ago that she was going into a trap. He just wasn't able to resist her charm and beauty. She was unlike any other woman he had ever known, courageous and elegant and very honest in what she said. She didn't lie just to prevent herself from trouble or please somebody. Something about her made him want to get to know her better – even more, to kiss her like he had done that night.

Did she still remember his kiss?

If he thought the whole thing over, it had already been a mistake to come here on his own. He had not told his soldiers the name of the woman they were to search for. Instead, he had pretended to not know anything about her. From a logical point he had to admit that the way he had acted was the one of a fool.


	6. Someone to Watch over Me

**_Part 5 – Someone to watch over me_**

The woman went nervously up and down within a range of ten meters on the beach. She didn't care about the waves that soaked the bottom of her dress. When the wind grew stronger she pulled her cape closer around her body to shield herself from the icy wind from the east.

Finally she heard voices grow louder. She turned and ran towards the small group of three men who were heading towards her.

"Gerard... I'm so glad you came!" Irina smiled at him, but he returned her gaze strict and reserved. They had shared a bed more than once and he couldn't deny that Irina was a very beautiful and sensual woman, yet now she had become worthless to him. Her cover was blown and she was more of a danger than of good use.

"Irina..." he simply replied.

"Please, I need a place to hide because..."

"I know!" he cut her off harshly. "One of my men told me the story. You've been careless. Irina, we've talked about this more than once! I don't need careless people in my team."

"Sure, it was a mistake, but I promise you, something like that will never happen again." She noticed the two men who stepped to her sides and started to get a little nervous. "Gerard, you know I would never willingly betray you, don't you?"

"Yes..." he replied and turned away. "Yet suddenly the highest counselor at court knows your name – even more, he knows where you live. It's only a question of time until he knows who else has been in contact with you over the past years. Maybe he even followed you here!"

"No, nobody followed..." she cut herself off when the men behind her now took her arms and tried to bend them to her back.

"Gerard..." Irina said sharply, but couldn't hide the hint of panic in her voice as she started to struggle against the men's grips. "Don't touch me... what are they doing?"

"Irina, I'm sorry, but you could ruin everything. You're the connection which could lead the queen's army to us. You have to disappear."

"Yes... I know. I could go north and..."

"That would be an option if there was a chance that we could use you again someday. No, I prefer to take a nice ride on the boat with you. And, unfortunately, you fall into the cold water. Of course you are alone on the boat, so nobody will be there to help you. It is an accident, nobody will ever know."

"Wait..." Irina started to yell and struggle in panic but the men held her mercilessly while they tied her hands and feet. "Gerard... I thought we were friends... even more."

"We were..." he said. "At least kind of." He went towards her and touched her chin almost tenderly. Her dark eyes filled with tears and he formed out the shape of her beautiful face with his fingers. 

Suddenly loud voices drew his interest away from Irina and he looked at the three of his men tasked to watch out for strangers. They had a fourth man in their midst who struggled against being held. Irina gasped for air – Jack Bristow. He had somehow managed to find her here!

"Who is that? What's he doing here?"

"Gerard, this is Lord Bristow. I know him, he was my superior once!" One of the men reported. Jack knew him, he had once been a lower ranked officer of his army, but then one day disappeared.

"Now, how interesting. See, Irina, your friend is here. That is what you call not being followed? Or did you lead him here? Well, however, at least you won't have to die alone now."

"You will regret this..." Jack cursed, temporarily surrendering to the men's grip.

"Gerard, please..." Irina whispered. "I did not betray you – I never would."

"Then how come he is here?"

"I have no idea!" Irina replied. "Honestly! I don't know!"

"I'm here, to save this Lady's life." Jack replied neutrally. "Her family was scared for her since they obviously knew your methods."

Gerard laughed ironically and even in the pale light of the moon his eyes gleamed dangerously. Jack really wondered how Irina had survived that long being in contact with a man like him.

"And why would an English soldier be interested in saving the life of a terrorist if she's not working for him?" Gerard's voice was cold and showed that he didn't believe one single word Jack had said. Jack's mind worked rationally and fast. He was used to situations like this and so he did the only logical thing to do, although, he knew Irina would probably kill him for this.

"That's because Irina and I are engaged."

"Engaged?" Gerard turned to him and approached him slowly. Irina's eyes locked with Jack's in disbelief. She had been able to prevent herself from asking the same question as Gerard in the last second. "Really? Then how come you are the one she ran away from?"

"Things went wrong! Irina and I have known each other for quite some time. I am on your side. I sometimes gave her information. But three nights ago things didn't go as planned. I thought we would meet an unimportant contact, instead it was her..."

Gerard looked from Jack to Irina, back at Jack and then back to Irina. He couldn't believe his own ears.

"Is that true?"

"Yes, yes it is!" Irina said, hoping that her voice didn't tremble as her body did. 

Gerard turned back to Jack and shook his head. "This doesn't make sense. Why should you search for her if she was your fiancée? My spy told me you asked for her in the city."

"I had to! Otherwise, I would have risen suspicion within my group of soldiers. I told Irina to leave her house for a few days and hide somewhere here, because I trusted you to help her. When her maid told me that you had probably already heard the wrong version of the story from one of your own men, she advised me to go after you." Bristow's words made sense, Gerard admitted silently, still he wasn't completely convinced.

"So you've been Irina's secret contact?"

When Jack nodded, Gerard turned around and touched Irina's cheek. "Why didn't you tell me that you got engaged? I thought, we were friends."

"Well... considering the last five minutes and what you were planning to do with me I am not sure we are." Irina replied, slowly regaining her old self-confidence and coolness.

Gerard turned and shook his head. "Fine, I will believe your story under one condition. You have to prove what you said is true."

"How?" Jack asked.

"Well..." Gerard thought for a minute, then his face lightened up. "You told me you two are engaged. If that's true, I'm sure neither of you would mind getting married tonight, right?"

Since he was scanning Jack's reaction he missed the panicked gasp Irina took. Jack was absolutely cool. "Of course not." He replied. "We wanted to marry before winter anyway." He ignored the absolutely murderous look he caught from Irina.

"Fine... then be my guest for the next hour while I go to wake the preacher to wed you. As soon as you're married, I can be sure of your loyalty towards us and you will be free to go wherever you want to." He turned to his guards. "You can let go of them now, but still keep an eye on them."

Irina felt as if it had been the better option to be drowned in the sea. Her stomach started to revolt and it took all her mental strength to maintain her composure.

After she had been freed from the ropes that were tying her, the men let her go and Jack pulled her into his arms before she knew what was happening. "It's okay, darling," he said softly and his eyes told her to just play the game.

When they were walking to the small house on the coast, Jack bent to Irina's ear which looked like a sweet caress.

"Just play the game. It will save our lives." He hissed and she looked at him darkly.

"Go to hell." She hissed back, her rage hidden behind a tender expression on her face.

Almost one hour later she was standing with Jack in front of a preacher, who had quickly thrown over his dark cape. She felt as if she was in a nightmare and if their lives hadn't depended on it, she'd have just laughed at the ridiculousness of the situation.

The ceremony didn't last more than ten minutes. Irina wondered if there had ever been words which had been harder for her to speak than the words she had to say now.

"Lady Irina Laura Derevko, do you take this man as your lovely wedded husband in good and bad times?"

Irina took a deep breath and swore silently, that Jack Bristow would truly regret this whole situation. "I do." she replied and it was not the promise to forever love him, but a more dangerous one. Jack could read it in her eyes.

"Lord Jack Donahue Bristow, do you take this woman as your lovely wedded wife in good and bad times?"

"I do." he replied neutrally. This marriage could only provoke a scandal.

"Then feel free to kiss the bride now." The preacher smiled happily, obviously believing that he had just unified two loving hearts. 

Jack looked at the woman in front of him and it didn't take much knowledge to read the warning in Irina's eyes. He bent to her and touched her soft lips with his just as he had done several nights ago. He wanted to deepen the kiss, yet he knew better than to do so since he didn't want to risk an infuriated attack of his newly wedded wife in front of the altar.

Gerard smiled satisfied and kissed Irina's hand, then he looked at Jack. "Congratulations to a wonderful wife and to be part of our group from now on. You're a valuable contact."

They were now free to go wherever they wanted. Ten minutes later they were sitting on the horse Gerard had given to them as their wedding gift, leaving the small village. After they had brought at least fifteen miles of distance between them and the house of Gerard and his rebels, Irina finally spoke the first words after the shock of the sudden marriage.

"Stop! Stop the horse!" she yelled and Jack stopped immediately. Irina slid down the horse's back without any further comment and simply started to walk into the fields. The dawn was already announced by the singing of some birds.

Jack got off the horse himself and followed the woman. "Irina!" She didn't show any reaction, just kept walking. Finally, he grabbed her arm. "Irina, where are you going?"

She freed herself, her eyes sparkling with fury. "I am going somewhere! It's none of your business. You saved our lives, I'm thankful. Now that everything is okay and none of us is in danger anymore, I go my way, you go yours."

She was about to walk on, but Jack grabbed her shoulders. "Don't be stupid!" he said impatiently. "You can't just go away. We are married!"

"Yes, right! Thank you for that too, by the way!" Irina said and folded her arms. "So what? We married to save our lives. That doesn't mean anything. You can get an annulment in the next city. You're the man, you don't need me for that."

"What do you think Gerard will assume if he learns that we separated not even one hour after we got married? I'm sure he has somebody spying on us."

Jack was right... Irina knew that it was only reasonable to keep up their fake-marriage for at least three or four days before they separated.

"Please..." Jack murmured. "I promise you to never ever bother you again after this. I won't have to. I know enough now to arrest the most important people and..." Irina's hand hit him unexpectedly as she slapped his face. He grabbed her wrist hard and pulled her close to him, but she didn't even show a hint of fear.

"That was for your rudeness. This whole situation was your fault. If you hadn't come after me..."

"You would be lying at the bottom of the ocean, dead, I think." He hissed angrily, his cheek burning from her slap. "Do you think this marriage was my first choice? I had also hoped for a better solution to get you out. But I promised your maid to keep you safe, otherwise, I would just have let them kill you and you would be swimming with the fishes now." A lie. Deep inside he knew that he would have saved her even if he hadn't promised to do so to Maggie.

"Well..." she closed the distance between their faces to look into his dark eyes. "Maybe I would have preferred death to a marriage with you."

"Fine, I will keep that in mind for the next time you are in danger of being killed. But, for your information, I was involved too and I didn't want to be killed."

"Your fault. How could you be so stupid to go after me and let them catch you? I know the soldiers of the queen are not the best qualified men, but I didn't know they were totally unable to not get caught."

"Lady, I don't beat women, but you're really close to catching a slap." He warned furiously, his voice totally leveled. Irina simply freed herself from him and went back to the horse. Jack looked after her and closed his eyes for a moment. What was up with him? What was it about her that she tempted him so much?

"Do you want to stay there forever? I want to sleep somewhere – a country bar if you want."

Hearing her annoyed question, Jack turned and followed her. He wanted to help her get on the horse but she ignored his attempts and instead got up herself. Jack took a deep breath and got up behind her. He laid one hand around her waist and pressed her against his body – tighter than necessary to keep her from falling, but he wanted to enrage her after all she had said.

After all, their situation hadn't been his fault. She was the stupid one who had insisted on escaping and running away on her own, so if she wanted to blame somebody, she had to blame herself. 


	7. Battles

**_Part 6 – Battles_**

The sun was already rising at the horizon when they finally reached a smaller village. They had always stayed near the coast. Jack knew that the region where Irina lived was searched by his soldiers, so he thought it better to take her to his manor for now. There they could talk about how to go on. 

Unfortunately, he had not yet told Irina about his plans and he feared that she would be outraged if he did.

"There's a bar in this village, I know the owner of. The woman has rooms for rent, so in about five minutes we should have a place to rest." He announced. They hadn't spoken for hours, but when he didn't get an answer, he looked at the woman leaning at his shoulder and found her sleeping.

He raised his eyebrows in surprise and pulled her closer to his body to prevent her from falling off the horse. When they reached the bar a few moments later, Jack got off the horse and took the sleeping woman into his arms.

When she felt the movements, Irina awoke from her sleep slowly, not really knowing where she was. She protested weakly against being carried, but then her head sank back against Jack's shoulder.

"Good morning," Jack greeted the woman who opened the large wooden door. 

"Jack Bristow!" she cried out happily. "I didn't expect to see you anytime soon! What are you doing here so early with... a woman in your arms?" Her voice didn't hide her surprise.

"That's a long story. We need a room! We haven't slept all night and I will tell you everything after I have rested for a few hours."

"Of course, come in! I hope the lady is here voluntarily! Don't want to be involved in any woman-robbery crime. I just had a raid for smugglers last month and..."

"Chrissy!" Jack interrupted her. "I'm a high ranking officer, not a bandit."

The woman laughed while she went up she stairs. The wood creaked under their feet and when she opened the door to a small room, it gave a loud squeak.

"This is the only room I've left. If you want you can sleep in the barn..."

"Not necessary," Jack answered. "She's my wife."

Irina, who slowly came to her senses, opened her eyes still half asleep. "I'm not his wife..." she murmured half-hearted.

"And she's drunk." Jack added friendly when Chrissy looked at him suspiciously. "Does this door have a lock?"

"Sure!" Chrissy looked at the beautiful woman and for a moment envied her. Those rich ladies were sometimes very weird creatures. She herself would have done anything for the chance to be married to Jack Bristow and that lady obviously denied. "Call me if you need anything else. I will send Bruce to take care of your horse," she said, then she left the room and pulled the door closed behind her.

Jack sighed and laid the woman down on the bed. Irina held her head and tried to fight the urge to drift back to sleep. Only when she felt someone pulling off her shoes, she succeeded. Within a second she was sitting upright.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"You don't want to sleep with your shoes on in this bed, do you?" Jack asked.

"No! But I can do this myself, thanks!" She pulled off her shoes and let them drop to the floor, then she fell back onto he bed and pulled the sheets over her body.

When she was just about to fall asleep again, she felt Jack lying down next to her and was wide awake again.

"What do you think you're doing?" she asked sharper than before and with a certain amount of aggression in her voice. He stared at her as if she was crazy.

"I am trying to sleep!" he explained. "And I suggest you're doing the same."

Now for Irina all thought of sleep was gone from her mind, her rage returning and forcing away her sleepiness. "I'm not going to sleep in the same bed with you! I don't trust you." 

He moaned frustrated since obviously he couldn't avoid having to give her an answer.

"Miss Derevko, I don't trust you either, but may I remind you – again – that I saved your life... not to mention my own! We would both be dead now. Can we discuss this after a few hours of sleep?"

"You saved my life?" Irina laughed sarcastically. "I was totally in control over the situation until you appeared."

Jack sat up in annoyance and pierced her with his eyes. "How is 'about to be killed' having everything under control?"

"Gerard would have never killed me! I know him! He was bluffing!"

He stared at her for a full minute, unable to believe what he had just heard from her mouth, and wondered if she was really convinced by her own words. This woman was unbelievable, and for a split second he truly regretted having given a promise to her maid. He would love to just leave her here.

"Bluffing?" Jack asked ironically. "They had already tied you and were about to throw you into the water. Now, if you don't want to sleep in this bed, feel free to take the floor. There's enough free space as you can see. Good night."

"Bastard!" she murmured and folded her arms angrily, then she sat down on the floor, followed by his amused glance. He made her angry... No, she corrected, in fact he was not the person who had caused her anger, Gerard was. For years she had done him favors, supplied him with important information from the most trustworthy contacts, even shared his bed a few times. And now she had made one little mistake and he let her down... even worse, wanted to get rid of her. And the worst of all was that her enemy had saved her life and now she was stuck with him.

She had never needed a man to protect her. She could handle her problems on her own and if Jack Bristow thought that she was thankful to him, he was wrong. Sure, he had saved her life, but he was also the reason for her troubles. Why couldn't he just go away and leave her problems to her?

After a few more minutes of silence, Irina finally got up and went to the door.

"Where are you going?" Jack asked and Irina found him looking at her. He had obviously not slept at all but had been watching her with all his attention.

"I'm sleeping in the barn in the hay... actually that's what you should have offered, but since you're one of the queen's cheap employees, I don't expect you to know anything about behaving like a gentleman. And since you surely have duties at court, I think I will continue from here alone, so I won't bother you anymore. If Gerard has a spy following us, I will explain everything to him. Good night!"

She turned the key and went to open the door. Before she had even realized that he had left the bed, his hand was pressed to the wood and he held the door closed.

"You are not leaving this room!" he stated dryly and completely under control, yet there was a certain sharpness in his voice that didn't allow any contradiction. "You will get over there to that bed and sleep. NOW!"

Irina's eyes darkened with rage. "How dare you..." She watched open-mouthed as he turned the key. "Let me make something very clear, Mr. Bristow. You do not give me orders. You have no right to lock me up or..."

"Wrong. I had orders to arrest you, not only did you flee but also knocked me out. So, actually, I have every right to kill you at once. Now get to sleep." There was a dangerous tone in his voice that warned her not to push him further, yet she was too furious to just accept being given orders by one of the queen's employees.

"I will! In the barn!" She unlocked the door again and pushed him away. Before she could even open it, he had grabbed her and carried her to the bed. 

"I've had enough of your damned stubbornness!" he hissed. 

Irina started to struggle against him when he threw her onto the bed. She yelled some curses into his face, trying to prevent him from grabbing her hands. Panic rose in her. Maybe she had tempted him too much. She cried out in a mixture of fear and rage, wanting to catch the attention of the landlady. He tried to prevent her from doing so by covering her mouth with his hand, wanting to tell her that nothing would happen to her if she calmed down and stopped her insanity. But before he could do so, her free hand hit his face in a punch that made him dizzy. Their fight continued for two more minutes, and ended when Jack finally managed to close an iron cuff around Irina's left wrist. She pushed at his chest and tried to kick him away with her legs until he finally managed to catch her free hand and pin her to the bed with his weight.

When he felt her body tremble and saw the tears standing in her eyes, he suddenly felt sorry for his harsh methods.

"I apologize if I hurt you..." His hand touched her cheek and his eyes scanned hers, then wandered lower to her moist red lips. His thumb brushed over them and formed them out before he suddenly realized what he was doing. He sat up to bring distance between him and her. For a moment he stared at her breathlessly while he felt some scratches at his cheek. He hissed in pain, his rage returning when he felt his hurting eye where her fist had hit him.

Irina looked in disbelief at her left hand that was shackled to the bed. She tried to open it with her free hand and when she didn't succeed, she started to pull at the chain in despair, letting out frustrated cries when she failed. Jack held up the key for the cuff and with an infuriated cry, Irina tried to grab for it, but Jack was out of her reach.

"Give me that key, you damned son of a b..." she cursed, while she continued pulling at the chain. She ignored the pain that originated in her wrist when the hard metal rubbed over her delicate skin. She hated being locked... and even more she hated being chained.

"I won't, otherwise you will run away tonight." He explained and didn't look at her once more, but got up from the bed and took a woolen blanket from a table.

"Bristow..." Irina's voice showed anger, but also insecurity. When she saw him head to the door, she stared at him. "Where are you going?"

"To the barn. I see that I won't get any sleep here anyway, since I have to expect that you'll kill me once I close my eyes." He looked at her and she still saw anger standing in his face, but also regret... "Good night. You have this room for yourself now, lady... just as you wanted." With these words he opened the door and left the room. 

"Hey! Wait!!!" Irina yelled and pulled at her chain. "Bristow!!! You can't just leave me here... damn it! Move your butt back in here!"

But he didn't even react. He locked the door from the outside, then she heard him leave. She continued yelling for him, mixed with the worst curses and promises about what would happen to him when he returned until loud knocks could be heard through the wall mixed with the angry voice of a man.

"HEY! Stop the noise! There are people trying to sleep here!"

Irina sank down onto the bed, her eyes filling with tears – tears of rage. Rage about being unable to get free. With a furious cry she threw one of the cushions against the wall at the other side of the room from which the strange man's voice had come. Then she let her head sink to the bed in defeat. A terrible headache told her that it was time for her to get a little sleep and her exhaustion finally forced her to give in to the need to close her eyes.

Only for a few moments, she told herself, and only seconds later she was asleep.


	8. Dreams

**_Part 7 – Dreams_**

Jack was sitting at the small counter, staring into his glass while Chrissy prepared to open the bar for the first customers. One of her helpers, a young woman, had already arrived and rearranged the chairs and tables in the main room.

"She is a little hot tempered, isn't she?"

"What?" Jack looked up at his friend and Chrissy grinned.

"Your wife. Not that easygoing."

"No, she's... she had a tough day." Jack explained and wondered, why he even tried to defend Irina. He felt bad. Not only had he hurt her, he had also chained her to her bed. No lady deserved to be treated like that. He swallowed the remains in his glass at once and slammed it to the table. Why did he feel bad? This woman was not only unthankful, but also rude, stubborn, traitorous and a liar. She was a criminal and technically she was his prisoner. He should already have arrested her yesterday. A prisoner was a prisoner and he wouldn't treat her better or worse than others.

"Here, take another one..." Chrissy offered to fill his glass again, but Jack refused.

"No, thanks. I had enough..." he murmured. "I think I will go to sleep now. I'm more than tired..."

He got up and was about to leave the room through the front door when he caught Chrissy's confused glance.

"Jack, your room is..." she started and pointed at the stairs at the other side of the room, but Jack cut her off. 

"I'm sleeping in the barn." He announced.

"Oh..." Chrissy said, staring at him for a long time, even forgetting about the glass in her hand. Then suddenly she seemed to remember where she was. "Fine, that's none of my business." She shrugged her shoulders and continued drying the glasses.

"Damned right..." Jack murmured and left the room. He crossed the small yard to the barn and entered it. He climbed the stairs to the upper level where the hay was stored. When he had found a good place to sleep, he sank down and stared at the ceiling. Why was this woman always in his mind? He growled and forced his thoughts away from her. Listening to the sound of the horses and birds outside, he soon fell asleep.

_  
The earth under her naked feet was cold and thorns hurt her sensitive feet when she stepped onto them in her desperate run. The forest was so dark that she couldn't see her own hand and she screamed in fear._

When she looked down at herself, she found herself in her night clothing.

"Irina... go! Run..." She spun around and saw her mother surrounded by soldiers. She was unable to scream, unable to run back. Her legs didn't seem to be her own. So she had to watch them kill her. Over and over again... it didn't stop. She could feel her mother's pain as if it was her own.

"NO! NO, STOP!" She screamed and fell to the ground. "Stop it, please..." She knew this was a dream... she always knew – still, she wasn't able to wake up. She had to see it again and again. She could never forget the pictures, the hate and the pain in her heart. She closed her eyes and suddenly she felt that she was no longer alone in the darkness. She felt arms pulling her into a protective embrace and when she opened her eyes, she was on a clearing, sitting at a fire. It warmed her body as well as her heart and soul.

She smiled and enjoyed the warmth, a wonderful warmth that gave her security and made her feel comfortable. Then she turned and looked at the man who was sitting behind her. As if she had never done anything else, she kissed Jack Bristow, her eyes drowning in his. His hands pulled her against his hot body and she moaned sensually at the wonderful sensations his touches sent through her body. All her fears and memories were erased... every little kiss made her forget until she didn't know who she was anymore.

She pressed herself closer to him, enjoying the sweet oblivion his closeness gave her. She felt his mouth explore her body, softly caressing her breasts, then her belly. Closing her eyes, she pulled him closer.

"Jack..." Her voice was a longing whisper. His lips went down her abdomen and she laid her head back in anticipation.

When she opened her eyes again, the fire was too bright for her eyes to bear and she moaned painfully and wanted to say to him that they should move somewhere else, when she became aware of the wooden ceiling. 

She turned her head away from the almost blinding light of the sun that shone into her face and found that it was a bed she was lying on, not near a fire on a clearing, and the room was empty.

It took Irina a few moments to realize what she had dreamed. Then she sat up so abruptly that she cried out in pain, since she forgot about her still cuffed wrist.

"Oh god..." she murmured, firstly because of her hurting wrist, secondly because of the dream that now got into her conscious mind. And thirdly – which was probably worst of all – due to the realization how much that dream had aroused her – even more, how much she wished that it had not been just a dream. 

She turned a little to be able to reach the cuff, then she pulled at the iron with all her strength until tears started to fill her eyes, and she thought she would rip off her own hand. She slammed her fists against the wall behind her and didn't care about the hurt in her arm. She wanted to punish herself for her dream. She hated herself for dreaming about Jack. He was an enemy, a soldier of the queen. He was a bastard, such as the men who had killed her mother had been. They were worse than any rebel would ever be. The queen's soldiers didn't know anything about honor and dignity. 

Her rage returned, filling the deep void inside her that her thoughts had left. Rage she had felt all her life.

When she heard the key turn in the lock, she was fully under control of herself again. Jack entered the room and found her leaning against the wall. He closed the door behind him and approached the bed slowly. Their eyes were locked in a silent challenge although neither of them had said a word yet.

"How long did I sleep?" Irina finally asked emotionless and Jack looked out of the window. 

"It's afternoon, so I assume about six or seven hours." He sat down on the bed and opened the chain around her wrist. She didn't move her arm when it was free, just looked at the man in front of her. Jack took her hand and looked shocked at her wounded skin.

"For heaven's sake, what did you do?"

"Nothing..." Irina murmured and pulled her hand out of his to look at her skin which was grazed by the iron chain. Only now she noticed that she was bleeding. "This is nothing... I was angry..." she finally explained and looked at Jack again. "...at you. I swear, I want to kill you."

"Yes, I expected that." He said and got up. He searched in his bag and finally found what he was looking for. He went back to the bed and opened a small box. "Give me your hand," he ordered and when she didn't react, he took her hand.

"I don't need your help!" Irina hissed and wanted to pull away from his touch but he held her arm.

"Shut up," he said sharply, but also with a certain softness. "You're the most stubborn woman I have ever met. How could you hurt yourself that much?"

He pulled a bottle out of his box and opened it. "This might hurt a little, but I have to treat this." Before she could contradict, he soaked a clean towel with the liquid and laid it to her wound. Irina almost screamed, and pulled away her hand.

"Are you insane?" she burst out and Jack grabbed her hand back.

"I wouldn't have to do this if you hadn't been acting stubborn!"

"And I wouldn't have had to do that if you hadn't chained me and then left." She countered furiously and bit her teeth when he continued cleaning her wound with the alcohol.

"I wouldn't need to chain you if you just started to act reasonable and stopped attacking me or trying to run away!" he murmured and finished his work by laying some leaves to the wound and binding a thin white strap of cloth around her wrist. "It should be okay again in a few days." He then murmured and got up. "Now get dressed. I want to leave this village before the sun goes down."

"Where are we going?" Irina asked and held her hurting wrist, feeling too proud to show her pain.

"I decided that it would be best to take you to my manor. We'll be safe there and can decide about how to go on."

"No..." Irina got up. "No, I have to go to London and I will."

"London?" Jack asked and looked at her. "I don't think..."

"I have to go to London! I swear to you, Mr. Bristow, no matter how many chains you use, I will always try to run away until I am in London."

He stood up slowly, his eyes scanning her thoughtfully but also suspiciously. "Why do you want to go there so badly? Are you planning an attack?"

"No!" Irina replied truthfully. "I can't tell you... it's personal! But I swear it has nothing to do with killing or attacking anybody." She held his eyes for a long time and finally he nodded.

"Fine, here's the deal. We will go to London. After everything is done there, you'll accompany me to my house where we will talk and decide about how to go on and then get an annulment for the marriage. This is under one condition. You have to promise me to not try to run away."

"I won't run away." Irina assured, but Jack didn't let it go.

"Swear." He demanded and Irina looked at him for a long time. She had never broken a promise. If she swore, she meant it. But she couldn't tell him that she planned to meet her sister and then return to her house. Promises had always been somewhat sacred to her, so how could she make a promise if she knew she couldn't keep it?

"I promise." She finally murmured and for a moment she felt guilty. Then she wondered why she even bothered. A promise given to an English soldier – worse, one of the highest ranking officers of the queen was worthless and merely a means to an end.

Jack was silent for a long time, obviously measuring how trustworthy her promise was. Then he finally nodded. "Okay. I will take you to London. If you get ready, we can leave as soon as possible. It should take us about three days to get there."


	9. Whispers of the Heart

**_Part 8 – Whispers of the heart_**

Heavens seemed to have opened. Cold rain poured down at the muddy ground, accompanied by an uncomfortably icy breeze.

Irina, who was sitting behind Jack on the horse, pressed her trembling body to his and tried to pull her already soaked cape into her face to shield her skin. It didn't work. The cape was too wet to keep her warm in any way.

She pressed her cheek to Jack's shoulder and felt that he took her hand into his and rubbed it to warm her up.

"We can't go on in this storm!" he said loudly. Despite the fact that she was so close to him, she had problems understanding his words. The loud rumbling of thunder could be heard in the distance, soon followed by the crashing sound of lightning.

"What do you suggest? Camping under a tree?"

"No, that's too dangerous. We have to find a barn. The next village is still miles away and I can't make the horse go fast when we can't see anything through the rain." He replied. "Do you think you can go on for another five minutes?"

"Would it make a difference if I said no?" Irina asked back and he laughed.

"No, since there is no barn here..."

"Then don't ask..." Irina replied. They kept silent and now both looked out for a barn. Being so close to the open sea, the thunderstorm had soon reached them.

Irina had never been afraid of lightning or thunder, but now she felt more than uncomfortable. Especially when a lightning bolt hit a tree only thirty meters away from them. It gave a loud crashing, wood-splitting sound when the tree slowly bent and sank to the muddy earth.

The horse whinnied, panicked, and she gasped in shock when it was about to go up in the air and start to run in blinded fear. Jack managed to calm it down at the last second.

Irina closed her eyes and laid her head to Jack's back. She couldn't explain why, but somehow she felt safe when being close to him. Ridiculous considering the fact that Jack was a soldier, but for now she would just accept that feeling.

Another ten minutes later, she noticed that Jack had stopped the horse. She opened her eyes. They were standing in front of a large barn.

He got off the horse and then helped Irina down. She didn't contradict but was thankful for his supporting arms. Due to the coldness she didn't even know anymore whether she still had legs – not to mention how to use them. Jack steadied her and scanned her with concern until he was sure she was standing safely. Then he went to the large door of the barn.

Irina touched the horse's nose, trying softly to calm down the frightened animal. It nuzzled closer to her. Finally, Jack had managed to open the heavy wooden door. He looked inside and came out again ten seconds later.

"It looks dry and should be okay to work as cover for the night."

Irina set herself in motion and led the horse inside. While she moved the horse into a stall with hay, Jack closed the door behind them. After Irina had tied the horse securely to one of the wooden piles, she collected some hay to dry the horse's fur.

Before she could start, Jack softly took the hay out of her hand. "Go to sleep. I will take care of the horse. You're all soaked and will catch a cold."

"Fine..." Irina nodded, her hands rubbing her own arms to warm her up. "Thank you..." she added before she turned and went to look around for a good place. She found some woolen blankets in one of the empty stalls and took them into her arms. Then she climbed up a small ladder and found herself in a hayloft. It was almost warm and she turned to look down.

"It's warmer up here!" she announced and laid one of the blankets to the hay. Then she pulled off her soaked cape. The dress followed until she was standing in her undergarment – a white, thin dress. She stretched to hang the soaked pieces of clothing onto one of the wooden beams.

Then she let herself sink to the blanket and snuggled herself into a second one. Her body was trembling and she was actually afraid of catching a cold. In weather like this it was easy to get sick and she remembered one winter when she and Katya had both been ill. They had laid in their bed with a cold for almost three weeks, both suffering from fever. She knew, in these days one could easily die from an illness.

When Jack had climbed up the ladder, he found her shivering in the hay. He went to his knees next to her and handed her a small bottle.

"Here, this is going to warm you up."

She looked at the liquid inside, then she took a huge sip – one second later Jack was seriously afraid that she would choke at the coughing attack that followed. He helped her to sit up and shook his head.

"I didn't say you should drink the whole content at once!" His voice showed a hint of amusement. "This is high percent alcohol, so be careful."

Irina looked at him. "Shut up..." she managed to say under her breath. "This stuff is awful... and I don't even feel a little warmer!" She took another sip, this time more careful, then handed the bottle back at Jack to pull the blanket up to her neck. "How long do you think this storm is going to last?"

The sound of rolling thunder seemed frighteningly close and through the small space between the wooden beams she could see the lightning outside.

"I don't know." He replied and Irina turned away when he started to pull all of his soaked clothes off. She sank back to the hay and looked through the small spaces into the dark night outside, hoping that her body would stop trembling anytime soon. It didn't. Instead she felt colder every minute. Finally, she looked up and found Jack lying ten meters away on his blanket.

"Could I get some more of that drink?" she asked and he lifted a little to look at her, then threw the bottle at her. She caught it and took a huge sip. Jack saw the bottle trembling in her hand and raised his eyebrows.

"You should pull your soaked undergarment off. It's gonna keep you cold and all soaked." He advised and Irina laughed sarcastically.

"No way!" She knew he was right, but she would not fully undress when she was lying in a barn with a man she hated. Men were all the same when they were lying ten meters away from a naked woman.

"Don't be a fool. You know I'm right!" Jack stated dryly, then laid back. "Fine, it's your choice."

Irina laid back and hugged herself with her arms, trying to keep herself warm. She took a sip of the drink, then another until her stomach seemed to revolt. She was hungry and too much of that alcohol was probably not the best idea, but at the moment she wished for nothing but that her body would stop trembling. She threw the bottle back at Jack, who took a mouthful himself then laid back. Thoughtfully, he stared at the ceiling for a long time wondering why he felt so comfortable. 

Usually he didn't feel comfortable when he was with a woman. They were annoying and btchy, and most of the things they told weren't true. They talked without brains just to please a man. He had always hated that. He didn't want a robot who just repeated his opinion. If he talked to somebody, he needed the other person to have their own opinion.

Irina was not like those women... she was more - he searched for an appropriate word - manly - in her behavior, yet so female on the other hand that she attracted him more than any other woman had ever done.

He remembered the day. Before it had started to rain he had only spoken a few sentences with Irina, but one thing he certainly knew, was that she would never lie to him just to please him.

Well, she would lie just to annoy me, betray me, and keep secrets from me, he thought bitterly, but anyway it was refreshing compared to the women at court.

His eyes went again to the woman who was lying ten meters away, and he found her still shivering. With a deep sigh he finally got up and crossed the distance between them.

"Okay, sit up?"

"What?" Irina asked and sat up when she heard his movement. He was always surprised by her fast reactions. Obviously she was used to defending herself. He wondered what had happened to her that she was so used to having to defend herself.

"Pull off that damned dress now! I don't want to get to London with a dead person."

"I'm not pulling my dress off." Irina contradicted loudly and with a certain sharpness in her voice. She pulled her blanket higher and her eyes held him challengingly.

"Fine," Jack nodded and folded his arms. His voice was absolutely neutral when he added, "You have two options. Either you do it yourself, or I'm doing it. I would prefer the last option, but I'm sure you disagree here. You have ten seconds to choose."

She stared at him open-mouthed and didn't doubt a second that he would do what he had promised. 

"Two..." he counted. Irina pulled the blanket higher. "One..."

"Fine!" Irina burst out. "But I want you to know that I'm not doing this because I'm afraid of your threat. I'm just not in the mood of killing somebody."

"Of course," Jack nodded amused and turned around to grant her some privacy. Irina pulled the dress over her head and then wrapped her naked body deep into the woolen blanket until only her face and feet could still be seen.

"Ready," she said and Jack looked at her dress, then he went to his knees and took her naked feet into his hand. They were icy.

"What are you doing?" Irina hissed and crawled back, hiding her sudden feeling of vulnerability behind a mask of aggression. Jack held her.

"I'm trying to warm you up and prevent your circulation from breaking down."

"I don't want..." she started but Jack cut her off before she was even able to finish.

"And I don't want you to become ill."

Irina surrendered to his touch since he wouldn't discuss the subject any further. Slowly, she relaxed and laid back a little. Her head was spinning slightly and she felt light-headed – a state of mind in which she didn't want to fight or discuss. His hands were warm at her feet and soon her skin felt better and didn't hurt so much anymore. She wished he would extend those touches to her whole body.

Not aware that her wish was reflected in her eyes, she just stared at him and he held her gaze for a long time before he slowly moved his hands higher to her leg. She shivered – he couldn't define whether it was caused by his touches or her coldness – and smiled softly.

He felt a little light-headed himself, otherwise he would have listened to the voice inside that told him that the alcohol had those effects on her – and him – and that it was best to not move this any further. He didn't listen, but he pulled his hands away from her leg and moved up her body, slowly reducing the distance between their faces.

"You know how I could warm you the best?" His voice was hoarse from desire and she smiled warmly. Had he ever looked so damned cute?

"I have an idea..." she replied and framed his face with her hands. Her fingers stroked his cheek, then her thumb brushed over his lips. Unconsciously she let her tongue moisten her own lip when the vivid image of kissing him occurred to her mind. Jack stared at her, unable to turn his head away from this erotic gesture. He moved closer. 

The blanket around her body slid down a little and revealed the silky skin of her shoulder and parts of her cleavage. She didn't care, she just stared at him.

"Let me keep you warm..." he whispered, touching her bare shoulder. Irina closed her eyes for a moment. There was a voice inside her that screamed that this was wrong, that she hated him and would truly regret this in the morning. Yet, his closeness and the promise of feeling him even closer was so seducing that she couldn't think rationally. In an incomprehensive way she felt attracted to him... which made her want to run away at the same time.

"I hate you..." she stated lowly and the way she said it would have been more fitting of a declaration of love. Jack chuckled slightly, never losing her eyes.

"I'm not so fond of you, either." He replied playfully, using the same hint of tenderness she had used. He wanted to give her the possibility to retire and give him a sign to not move any further. She didn't - instead she reduced the distance between their faces even more.

"This doesn't mean anything..." she continued.

"Of course not. It's just to keep you warm..." he assured tenderly and stared into her eyes – the most beautiful eyes he had ever seen. Then suddenly his lips crashed on hers, devouring them in an almost harsh exploration. Irina met his mouth with the same passion and for a moment they fought a silent battle for control, until she finally surrendered to him and fell back into the hay, pulling him over her but never losing his lips.

Although never been married, she had slept with men and was used to passion, but nothing had prepared her for the inferno of flames that built up in her stomach now. The mixture of alcohol in her blood and Jack's kiss clouded all her reason. A deep moan escaped her throat and she buried her hands in Jack's hair.

His tongue licked at the corner of her mouth, then he sucked in her lower lip before he continued to explore her skin down her jaw and throat in short, passionate kisses. She laid her head back and closed her eyes at the feelings that he awoke inside her. Her blood seemed to turn into a flood of hot lava that set her whole body into an almost unbearable fire.

When Jack pulled her blanket open, he admired her nakedness for a moment before he started to claim the newly exposed skin with his lips. Her hands roamed over his back and shoulders, desperate to feel more of his body against her.

Finally, he broke free to discard the rest of his clothes and wrapped them both in the warm blankets on the hay. For a split second Irina asked herself what they were doing here, but she was way too lost in the anticipation of what was about to come.

Her body shuddered slightly when she felt his heat against her and she relaxed into the comfortable warmth. Her hands framed his face softly while she looked deeply into his eyes. She lifted her head a little to touch his lips with hers in what could barely be called a kiss – a silent invitation which he took without thinking.

His hands ran down her body while he seduced her with a deep open-mouth kiss until she was writhing under his touch and gasping for oxygen.

"You're so beautiful," he whispered, and for a moment he felt as if his heart broke. She was his enemy, a woman he was supposed to arrest and give away for execution. At this thought he started to kiss her more thoroughly, wanting to erase the unpleasant thoughts from his mind. He buried his head at her neck and stilled for a moment, just feeling her soft touches.

She is my wife, he suddenly thought and kissed the delicate skin under her ear. He felt her shiver and was rewarded with a soft moan of hers. Irina was his wife... yet the marriage wasn't worth anything since she wanted an annulment – and so did he, didn't he? He couldn't marry a terrorist, since the queen would charge him with treason and surely have him executed as well – so marriage was out of the question. But at least for tonight, they were married...

Jack took her hand and pinned it softly to the hay, their fingers entangling tenderly. She covered his cheek with short kisses. "Jack..." Her voice was merely a whisper, yet full of longing and tenderness. She wasn't even aware that she had said it out loud.

She locked her eyes with Jack's deeply, unable to stop drowning in them. Over and over again she covered his skin with kisses, intoxicated by his scent and the taste of alcohol on his lips until he moved his head lower and sucked in one of her breasts.

She bit her lip when he teased her ever so slowly, her hand grabbing his tighter. When his lips touched her stomach and finally laid down on her belly button she closed her eyes. He was burning a path straight to her heart with his kisses. His touches didn't only warm her body, but also her soul – a warmth she had longed for all her life. For a moment she forgot about everything – who they were and what had been. And she felt deep inside that she was falling for him and there was nothing she could do against it.

Jack took his time kissing every inch of her belly before he moved back up and touched her cheeks to claim her mouth again. He couldn't get enough of her sweet lips. Carefully he shifted his body a little so he was lying in between her legs. She moaned when she felt his erection pressing into her thigh and wanted to pull him closer but he took his time teasing her with his hands and mouth until she thought she couldn't bear it anymore.

He made sure that she was lying comfortably before he finally entered her ever so softly, silencing her and his own moans with his lips. She moved a little to adjust to him and held him close to her body. For a long time neither of them moved, they just continued to caress each other tenderly and without hurry.

"How can you be so gorgeous?" Irina breathed and her thumbs stroked his lips. He moved inside her slightly and she sighed, her hands wandering to his shoulders and clasping them. "God, you feel so good..."

"So do you..." he uttered and kissed her cheek, then her earlobe, before he forced himself to still again. He didn't want this to end so soon – he wanted it to last forever. Irina sighed in frustration when he stopped her movements with his body and hugged him closer. 

"Please... take me now." She bit his earlobe in a playful and seductive gesture and he moaned in desire, thrusting deeper into her against his will. Her head fell back in need. "Don't stop. Oh god..."

He complied, fascinated by the look of her, and took possession of her exposed skin. When she wrapped her legs around his body, the walls of reason finally shattered and his control broke. He thrust into her faster and their moans mingled to the age-old song of passion, joined only by the sound of raindrops and thunder from outside the barn.

Her hands held on to his back as if he was her only hold. He touched her face with his hands, his lips only inches away from hers. He wanted her to be his, he wanted her heart to belong to him – forever, not just tonight. But he knew that this wish could never be fulfilled – even more, that wish must never be fulfilled. They were on different sides...

"Irina..." he breathed into her ear like a sweet caress and she pressed her cheek to his.

"Jack... Jack!" Her voice was trembling and he felt that she was close. He stroked a drop of sweat from her slick skin and kissed her deeply, his hand running down her body and stroking her center. Her sharp cry was silenced by his lips and only heard by him. When she shattered in his arms only seconds later, crying out his name in ecstasy, he followed her almost immediately, filling her body with his life-giving essence.

Slowly he stopped his movements, his head buried at her neck. She ran her hands through his hair, still unable to open her eyes or form any coherent thought.

When the sound of rolling thunder finally reached her conscious mind again, she moved slightly and turned her head to look outside through one of the spaces. She felt Jack shift and then his lips on her neck and ear.

His lips met hers immediately when she turned her head. They kissed for a long time, neither of them willing to break contact. Then, finally, they separated.

Irina watched Jack fetching the other blankets and turned onto her belly to look out into the dark night and see the raindrops pouring down the dark wood into the barn. Her world was turned upside down. She had shared many nights with men, but no one had ever made her feel like he did. Jack Bristow touched her soul and that scared her. It was already bad seeing an enemy as your friend, but allowing him to touch your soul was your undoing.

She turned a little when she felt his body snuggling back against hers, then the warm covers around them. Jack wrapped them up in the comfortable warmth, then he laid his head to her back, her body tightly hugged to his.

"I feel dizzy..." Irina murmured after a long time and closed her eyes as the room started to spin more and more.

"So do I..." Jack placed a tender kiss on the back of her neck, his body still weary from the incredible experience they had just shared.

"The whole room is spinning..." Irina murmured and now he looked up worried. He touched her forehead, then wrapped the covers closer around her body. Maybe the effects of the alcohol on her were stronger than he had thought. "You probably had a little too much alcohol. You should sleep a little."

"No, what if robbers find us... or lightning hits the barn and..."

"Shhh..." he kissed her tenderly. "Sleep. I'm here and I won't let anything happen to you."

"Promise?" she asked sleepily and Jack chuckled.

"Promise..." he replied and sighed deeply. For tonight he would do anything to protect her. But how could he promise to not let anything happen to her when he was supposed to arrest her?


	10. Shadows of the Night

**_Part 9 – Shadows of the Night_**

The first thing Irina saw when she opened her eyes was light shining through small spaces between the plates of a wooden wall. She yawned slightly and wondered where she was, when she realized that she was naked.

"Oh my god..." she murmured, still too sleepy to really care about the absence of her clothes.

"Good morning." Jack went over to the hay-bed.

Irina was sitting upright within a split second when she heard his voice, a sharp knife in her hand which was pointed at Jack. He jumped back, her aggressive gesture catching him totally by surprise.

"For goddamns' sake, are you insane?" he snapped and she stared at him, her memory of last night coming back in flashes.

"Oh my god..." she said louder than before, her head starting to hurt in small stitches, then suddenly she realized that she was sitting totally naked in front of him. "OH GOD!" She grabbed for a blanket and wrapped it around her body hastily. Jack took the knife out of her hand.

"Where did you get this knife from?" he asked and she pointed at her underwear, the shock still in her face.

"You're keeping a knife in your underwear? I guess I can consider myself lucky to still be alive." He murmured half-amused.

"We... we had... we made... we did..." she murmured, totally put off. Her head started to hurt really bad and her world seemed to shatter. All her properly built up walls of reason and control seemed gone. She shared her bed with Jack last night. No, she corrected herself, she hadn't just shared his bed, she had slept with him and she had enjoyed doing so. When she recollected his sweet caresses, she even wished that they could do it again. What was wrong with her? She felt vulnerable... and she hated him for that. Why, of all people, did she have to fall for an English soldier? "How could you do that?"

"Two people are needed to dance and as far as I remember, we both enjoyed it very much." He commented, only half-listening and not really taking her serious since he was collecting their clothes from the hay.

"Bastard!" Irina suddenly hissed and at the rage in her voice he turned around perplexed.

"What?"

"You damned son of a b. Was that your plan? Giving me that damned bottle to make me drunk and then sleep with me? Using me to fulfill your needs?" she asked furiously and got up to grab her dress out of his hand. He just stared at her open-mouthed before he understood the meaning of her words.

"Irina, I did not..."

"Then you're telling me, we did not...?" She interrupted him and her ironic question hung in the air unanswered.

"No! We slept together, but I did not try to get you drunk! I was a little lightheaded myself. I told you not to drink too much of the alcohol, remember? And besides, I gave you more than one chance to end it! I did not use you!"

She just stared at him and remembered how he had tried to warm her up. For a moment she had really had the feeling that he cared for her. Instead, all he had searched for was fun. That was just too typical for English soldiers. A small voice inside her screamed that it hadn't been like that. That he had even given her a chance to retreat or push him away – that he had not planned to use her situation. Yet, she needed to believe that he had wanted to use her, otherwise she wouldn't be able to hate him. She had to hate him. He was her enemy...

They just stood opposite to each other, neither of them able to think about anything appropriate to say, until Jack finally turned around.

"Get dressed, I want to go on."

"Jack... Mr. Bristow!!" she hurried to correct her use of his forename and he stopped. 

"Yes."

"You're still planning to get the annulment, aren't you?" He could clearly hear the hint of panic from her voice when she asked him that question. A knife hitting him in the chest couldn't have been worse. She behaved as if he was a monster and being married to him the worst penalty in the world. His face became an inscrutable mask.

"Of course." He stated. "It was obvious that I was not the first man you were with, so any claims of yours are not only inappropriate, but will also not be taken into consideration."

Irina gasped for air. "What are you implying? That I seduced you to make this annulment impossible and force you to stay married to me?" She laughed sarcastically. "Certainly not. My only claim is to get this annulment and never see you again. And whether I stayed with other men or not is definitely none of your business."

"Fine, then we're at the same point." He commented dryly and left. Irina looked after him, then at the dress in her hand, her fists clenching the material tightly. How could he be so arrogant to think that she would want to stay married to him – for any reasons whatsoever?

'Who are you trying to fool here,' the tiny voice inside her asked, but she decided to ignore it.

Jack sighed when he was standing next to the horse. He led it outside and looked over the muddy field. How could he have said those rude words? The night had meant a lot to him – more than he wanted to admit to himself. Irina was an extraordinary woman and he had hoped that this night had changed something in her attitude towards him. The contrary was the case: she treated him as if being married to him was comparable to hell. He wondered what kind of men she had been with before. Had she been married? Or had she just been the mistress of some men? When he reflected about how she behaved, he could hardly imagine her to be a mistress for anybody. She did what she wanted to do. Irina was the most unconventional woman he had ever met, and he couldn't exclude the possibility that she had done with other men what she had done with him last night.

Well, technically we are married, so she didn't actually endanger her reputation by sleeping with me, he added silently. But at the same time he had to admit that neither of them had wanted the marriage. It was illegitimate since they wanted to get an annulment.

Suddenly, Jack realized that he was jealous to not be the first man she had slept with – even more, that he probably hadn't counted more than her other lovers. Maybe he had been nothing more than a nice pastime for her.

Still, the fact remained that she was the woman he was supposed to fight. They hated each other – that was how it had to be. For a moment he considered the possibility that the night they had shared might have consequences – that she might already be pregnant with his child. 

When she left the barn fully dressed, busy with bringing her hair back to order, he observed her thoughtfully for a moment and caught himself wishing that she was carrying his child. If she was, he would have a reason to stay in contact with her... maybe even stay married to her. Becoming aware of this thought, he turned away and continued preparing the horse to leave.

"Do you want to stay here all day or do you plan to leave anytime soon?" Irina's ironic comment brought him back to reality. He simply shot her a dark glance before he lifted himself up to the horse. When he made not a single effort to help her, Irina got up herself, cursing silently. She was barely sitting, when he made the horse move.

Gasping for air in shock, she held on to him.

"Hey!" she yelled angrily. "Could you wait until I'm ready next time?"

"Oh, I'm sorry... did you almost fall?" he asked sarcastically and Irina shook her head furiously, deciding that it was better not to tempt him any further.

They spent the time in silence, both busy looking into the distance and not taking note of each other. Irina hated how much she liked his closeness. And even more she hated the warmth that filled her chest when she thought of last night. She focused her attention onto more important things. Had Katya gotten her note? Would she be waiting at the stone near a special crossing Irina had named? And how could she run away without Jack following her immediately?

She had an advantage. Jack trusted her – at the least he trusted her to not run away again. So if she left him very early the next morning, she would actually have a chance to get away. Then, when she had found Katya, they would need to come up with a plan about where she could hide. Jack would certainly search her house and the region around it, probably also where Gerard lived. The whole situation was just so complicated.

She would have to go to Russia. Irina knew that her family still had relatives there. A sister of her father lived there with her husband. Irina had never met her, still it was an option to go to. She would discuss the idea with Katya.

The day seemed to last forever. Due to the muddy ground and two sudden rainstorms, they couldn't ride as fast as Jack wanted to. They even had to take a break two times when the rain became too strong.

It had already been dark for three hours, when they finally stopped in a small village in front of a pension. 

The landlord was very friendly and gave them his biggest room for the night. When they were alone in their room, Irina stretched and sighed, peeking at the bathtub in the corner.

"I'd give everything for a hot bath now." She murmured, pulling out of her soaked coat.

Jack went to the door. "I have to take care of some things anyway. You have half an hour."

Irina looked at him in surprise, then she smiled softly. "Thank you."

His eyes met hers in a tender gaze and finally the hint of a smile played around the corner of his mouth. They had barely spoken a word the whole day, yet both of them seemed to have problems keeping up the hostility.

"You're welcome." With these words he left the room.

Irina rang for the landlady and asked for hot water to take a bath. Soon, five maids were taking buckets of water into her room, filling the tub. The landlady added boiling water until it had the right temperature. 

Some time later Irina sank into the hot tub, totally lost in the relaxing warmth. Her muscles hurt from the long ride and the rain made her feel dirty. She dove underwater to wash her hair.

Jack had waited almost fifty minutes to grant Irina enough time to bathe and get dressed again. He hadn't thought of the time the maids had taken to prepare the bath, and so he could only stare at the beautiful woman in the tub when he entered the room just now. The view of her in the tub caught him totally by surprise and so he was unable to turn away. Keeping his eyes on her beautiful shape, he approached the tub.

Irina resurfaced, her eyes still closed. She ran her fingers over her face, then through her hair to press the water out of it. Her eyes were still closed, as if she was in some kind of ecstasy with the water as her sanctuary.

When she opened her eyes slowly, Jack lifted his hands. "Don't panic." He said lowly to prevent her from acting shocked when she saw him. The consequence of his words was the opposite. Irina stared at him, then shrieked and pulled her knees to her body to cover her nakedness. A huge wave of water landed on the wooden floor. 

"Damned!" she cursed and he didn't doubt that, if her eyes were able to kill, he would have been dead now. "For goddamns' sake, Bristow. What are you doing here?" She spilled some water at him angrily, trying desperately to find something to cover her nakedness with.

Jack laughed amused and laid the huge towel, which was prepared for her, to the ground to clean up the puddle of water.

"No!" Irina tried to hold him back, then stared at him angrily. "That was my towel!"

"Sorry," he murmured, looking at the totally ruined towel. "I didn't mean to shock you, I was just... just..." He couldn't help staring at her. She was sitting in the water like a mermaid, looking around for something she could use as a towel and still, she was so unbelievably sexy that he felt he was getting into serious trouble.

"What?" Irina asked impatiently when he had stopped talking.

"Um... it had already been fifty minutes and I thought you were ready." He finished his sentence, forcing himself to look into her eyes, not lower.

"Great... and when you entered the room and saw that I was not finished, you were unable to turn around and leave? Even more, you had to come closer because...?" she asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm. Jack folded his arms, her aggressive tone causing him to stay where he was.

"Jack..." Irina finally cried out in a mixture of desperation and anger. She didn't care that she addressed him so personally, right now all she wanted him to do was leave.

"You know..." Jack announced playfully, determined to pay her back the arrogant and unfriendly tone she used. He started to pull off his shoes and shirt. "I think I will just join you in there."

Irina followed him with her eyes. "If you think that scares me, you are wrong. I know that's what you want. Just give me another five minutes... please." She added with forced friendliness and Jack looked at her.

"So, you think I'm bluffing?" He pulled off his shirt and pants. Irina stared at him in shock, thinking about saying something that would make him turn around and leave.

No, she forced herself back, that's what he wants. He wants you to believe that he is really going to do this. He wants you to beg him to leave but he is not going to win this game.

"Fine." She announced totally neutral with a welcoming gesture. "There's enough space in here for both of us, so feel free to join me."

Jack stared at her and their eyes locked in a silent challenge. Irina leaned her chin to her knees, pretending to watch him interested. Jack shook his head in disbelief, then nodded. He had to admit, Irina was brave – in fact the bravest woman he had ever met. She counted on the gentleman inside him who could under no circumstances fulfill his threat. But she was wrong, the circumstances were special. First of all, she was married to him, so legally he had every right he wanted. Secondly, she couldn't seriously expect him to act gentlemanly when she used an arrogant tone like she did.

"Don't ever challenge me! I thought, you had already learned that lesson." With these words he pulled off his remaining clothes and stepped into the tub, where he sat down opposite to her.

Irina stared at him, then shook her head in a mixture of disbelief and shock. Fury started to build up inside her. Fury that he had won this challenge and that he had the rudeness to step into her tub. Damn it, this man had no scruples.

"You are insufferable!" she stated coldly and almost emotionless as if she was talking about the weather, then gathered all her remaining strength and got up to step out of the tub.

„Bad loser?" Jack teased and laughed, grabbing her hand to pull her back. She gasped for air in shock when she slipped, landing on him in the warm water.

"Insufferable!" she repeated coughing, trying to get up from his body. Jack's eyes scanned her worried. He hadn't meant for her to fall, but obviously she hadn't hurt herself in any way. When Irina started to struggle against the water and slipped out again, Jack held her wrist with his hand, staring in fascination at her face. For a moment he wondered what he was doing here, knowing that it could end only one way if he didn't let her go now.

"Am I?" he asked and Irina tried to get free from him and sit up. He was too close – way too close for her body to resist the fantasies that were building up in her mind.

"Yes, you're insufferable and rude! I hate you... let me go!"

He turned her around in a swift move. Irina started to beat him with angry cries. "Bastard, I told you to..." she started before his lips silenced every additional word. His mouth devoured hers in a deep open-mouth kiss, his tongue seducing and teasing until her beating turned into soft caresses, her fingers roaming over his back and pulling him closer to her body with a deep sigh that was swallowed by his lips.

After a long time, Jack broke the kiss and leaned his forehead to hers. They were both breathing heavily. 

"God, what am I doing?" he murmured, his hands framing Irina's face. She laid her fingers to his and shook her head softly.

"I have no idea." She replied softly and closed her eyes for a moment to gather her control. What had she been thinking by provoking Jack so far?

"Sorry..." he admitted. "I didn't plan it this way. Maybe you'd better... get dressed..." 


	11. Beautiful Mistakes

**Part 10 - Beautiful mistakes  
**  
_"Sorry..." he admitted. "I didn't plan it this way. Maybe you should better... get dressed..."  
_  
"Yeah... maybe I should..." she murmured, her hands stroking his chest. Jack turned over onto his back to allow Irina to leave, but instead of leaving, she pressed herself closer to him. Her lips grazed over his in a slight, playful touch, while her hands wandered down his chest, caressing his already sensitive skin and eliciting a moan from his throat. 

"What are you doing?" he asked at her lips and shivered when her tongue started to play at the corner of his mouth.

"I don't know... I seriously don't know." She whispered, before she melted their lips together in a deeper kiss. She felt him shudder against her, then his hands were at her waist and on her back, pulling her roughly against his body so they were skin on skin. Desperate, Irina tried to get a hold with her hand, but the tub was too slippery and she couldn't prevent herself from lying fully on Jack's body.

He nibbled at her lower lip, seducing her with his caresses and touches. She moved her legs so she was straddling his body. Her hands ran over the skin of his well-muscled chest. There was something about him that attracted her - like a moth to a flame, she thought bitterly, and knew her ending could only be like the one of a moth.

Her teeth bit his lower lip in a soft, but also challenging gesture. When his hands ran up her legs and over her butt and back, she moaned against his skin. Suddenly, he sat up and she gasped for air in shock, her surprised outcry swallowed by his mouth.

Irina clasped his shoulders when he moved her against the edge of the tub for support. Their tongues fought a wild battle and both were beyond tenderness. This was not tender lovemaking. She didn't want to be seduced by foreplay.

"I need you... now. No teasing..." Her voice was trembling with desire, so was her body, as he fondled her breasts, teasing her hard nipples with his fingers and lips.

Moments later, Jack stared at her, stroked a strand of wet hair out of her face, and wondered what it was between them that caused situations like this - that caused them to share the most intimate and passionate moments when they actually hated each other. He lifted her body, never losing her eyes. She clasped the cool metal edge of the tub with her hands when he entered her in a swift move.

His lips fell back to her skin when he felt her warmth around him, licking and tasting the mixture of water and sweat from her cheek. She whimpered in pleasure when he thrust into her almost roughly and took possession of her body. Her head fell back onto the edge of the tub. His hands fondled her breasts, then ran along the length of her arms. Gently, he loosened her fingers from around the tub and intertwined them with his. It took all of his control to hold back and not lose himself in her warmth. He didn't want to just take his pleasure.

Her tongue played over his neck and then at his earlobe. Concentrating on his movements, he started thrusting into her more thoroughly, causing her to tighten her clasp on his hands. Her breath grew shallow, her tongue tickling his oversensitive skin in sweet seductions.

"Tell me how you want it..." he panted, licking and nibbling her earlobe passionately.

"Oh god..." When he marked the skin of on her neck with his teeth, her eyes closed, and she bit her lip to keep from crying out loud. "Faster..." she whispered and he silenced her with his lips, swallowing moans and whimpers, as he complied with her wish.

Only when she came hard on him did he allow himself to let go and follow her into the heights of ecstasy. They held onto each other, and for a moment both felt, nothing separated them. They were one, one body, one soul, their hearts beating in the same rhythm. Jack's face was still buried in the crook of her neck when their breathing slowly evened out minutes later.

Their hands still clasped, Jack lifted his head to look into Irina's face. Her eyes met his for a split second, before she turned her head away. Quicksand - and she had almost drowned in it...

"I'm sorry..." she murmured, and he saw that she blushed slightly. He kissed her cheek tenderly, then nibbled at her earlobe in a sweet gesture.

"Don't be..." he murmured and noticed her catching her breath slightly in surprise. "Please. Don't ever be sorry for making love with me..." His voice was merely a whisper, and she sobbed against her will. 

"Jack..." She loosened one hand from his and wrapped her arm around his body. Her fingers wandered over his skin in a most tender gesture. Why did her life suddenly have to be so complicated? One week ago, she had only done what she believed in - now she had to make a decision. She didn't even understand what her choices were anymore. She didn't love Jack - or did she? She couldn't love him. They were on different sides. He could never understand her point of view, and she would never understand his. So what kind of decision was there to be made? She could just stay with Jack and not leave early the next morning - but that would mean sacrificing everything she had worked for her whole life. It would mean betraying her sisters - and her parents... even more, all those poor people for whom she had fought.

They kept their hands entwined while Jack continued kissing her, each of his caresses a tender promise of heaven. Irina closed her eyes and relaxed into his touches, her free hand buried in his hair.

"Let's move this to the bed..." he finally whispered into her ear, his tone promising, as he loosened from her body and got out of the tub, only to lift her up into his arms. She gave a mixture of a laugh and a shriek when the shock of the sudden coldness hit her. They didn't even bother to dry their bodies. Jack carried her to the bed and laid her down. He kissed her deeply, then went to dry the ruined, wet floor at least a little. Irina turned onto her belly and closed her eyes, covering her wet body with the bed sheets.

She rested her head on her arms, a single tear making it's way down her wet cheek, mixing with the remains of the water. She hated herself for that warmth she felt inside - affection for a counselor of the queen, an enemy. It didn't take much to understand that she had seriously fallen in love. She should have retired from the missions when she first felt attracted to Jack in the clearing where they had met. Already knowing deep inside that he was dangerous to her heart, she had continued in the wrong assumption that she could stop herself from loving him. She had literally played with fire...

Irina momentarily tensed, as she felt Jack crawling under the sheets and snuggling close to her warm body. He stroked her hair away from her neck and placed a deep kiss on her skin that made her shiver.

"Jack..." she wanted to tell him that she couldn't bear this…that she couldn't make love to him tonight when she planned to betray him by leaving only a few hours later.

But when he bent to her ear, whispering "Shh...tender this time" and other sweet promises, she couldn't. He rekindled the fire inside her anew - a fire nobody could satiate but him.

His lips resumed their caresses, making their way down her spine, then up again. Irina giggled slightly when his lips tickled her sensitive sides. She turned a little to catch his lips with hers in a soft kiss. 

Unhurriedly, their hands and lips explored and caressed each other.

"You look so handsome..." Fascinated, Irina let her hands play over Jack's muscled arms in appreciation. Her mouth followed the path over his shoulders and his chest. He grabbed her around her waist softly and pulled her closer, his eyes locked deeply with hers.

"How many other men have shared your bed?" he asked suddenly, and Irina stared at him for a moment, taking her time to understand his question.

"What... why is this important now?" she asked seductively, and he responded to her kiss shortly before he pulled back a little, not willing to let go of the subject.

"Were there many?"

"Are you jealous?" she suddenly countered amused and touched his cheek with her hands. "No, not that many. Some maybe... Have you had many women?"

"That's different." He replied, and she cocked her head slightly.

"No, it's not... you can be jealous about my ex-lovers, but I can't be jealous about yours?"

"So you are jealous?" he teased, and she blushed when she realized that she had given away more information than she had wanted to.

"I'm not." She denied. "I'm just interested in how it is that you can have a lot of women, but I can't have a lot of men."

"What makes you think I had a lot of women?"

"Why do I have the feeling that I don't want to have this conversation?" she replied, shaking her head.

"That, my beautiful, is not the answer to my question." he replied and kissed her thoroughly on the neck. Irina laughed when his tongue tickled her sensitive spot and closed her eyes when the familiar warmth started to build up again in her belly.

"Well, to start with you're handsome, and although you tend to act like a bastard from time to time, you have that kind of charm women can hardly resist." She answered his question playfully and for a split second wondered what she was doing here. Sleeping with Jack was one thing, flirting with him, as if they were in love, a totally different thing and one she should probably not pursue.

"Are you trying to manipulate me in order to distract me from the question about the number of your lovers?" His lips moved down her body and closed over one of her nipples. Irina laid her head back with a soft sigh, relaxing beneath his caress.

"Five..." she finally murmured under her breath. "Only five... including you." 

"Okay, here's another question..." Jack moved up again to look into her face. Irina moaned and stroked his lips with her thumb, trying to make him stop thinking by running her lips over his chin and throat. It didn't work as she had planned.

"How did you get into this life for the first time? I mean, how did you become a terrorist? Was it a friend of yours who talked you into spying or maybe your parents or..." His question was asked innocently and without the hint of an accusation, yet, it immediately awoke Irina's suspicion. Her eyes grew cold at once, and she pushed him away from her, bringing distance between their bodies.

"What do you know about my parents?" she asked sharply. Jack shook his head in confusion.

"Nothing! It was just a guess since many women enter this life, because their parents are already terrorists," he tried to calm her down, but made a mental note to do some research on Irina's parents. It was obvious that she was hiding a secret from him that had to do with her family.

She sat up and pulled the blanket around her body to shield herself from his gaze.

"I'm not one of the women who will tell you her secrets in bed. I know the women at court that you're used to act that way. I am not one of them. So either you finish what we started in the tub or you leave me alone. I myself would prefer the last option, since somehow I'm no longer in the mood." She snapped. Jack softly pulled her back to the mattress, turning her onto her belly.

"I'm sorry..." he whispered into her ear. "I was not trying to spy on you. I was just... trying to get to know you better." He licked at her earlobe. "I won't talk anymore. I promise."

She didn't need to say more, since her reaction had given away enough for him to know that she was hiding something, and that it had to do with her family. When he was back at court, he would ask some of his confidants about information on Irina's parents and the roots of her family.

Now he concentrated on seducing her and calming her rage down with light kisses. He took his time in exploring her skin and discovering all the spots that made her writhe and moan in desire.

Soon, she relaxed to him and his soft caresses, the dark thoughts and suspicion being erased from her mind by his warm lips and hands. It was a puzzle to her why he, of all people, caused those emotions in her - why it was him who seemed to heal the deep wounds and the void in her heart that the years of hate and rage had left. How could he, of all people, cause love and happiness inside her - he, whom she should hate the most?  
She had always been a fighter and had learned early that nobody was going to help her, so she had to be able to help herself. But Jack seemed to be different. He had risked his life to save her and - despite their discussions - protected her. Irina couldn't deny that she wished nothing more than to just lean back. Deep in her heart she had always wanted to meet somebody in whose arms she could be safe - where she didn't need to fight anymore.

Yet, the fact remained that Jack was the enemy. She could never fully trust him - she shouldn't even have trusted Gerard.

"Jack..." Her voice was barely a whisper, and she wanted to turn around to be able to take him deep into her, but Jack held her in place.

"Don't move," he whispered, while he nibbled at her earlobe. He moved his body closer to hers and entered her from behind in a smooth stroke. When he felt her catch her breath, he kissed her cheek in short touches. 

Their position allowed him to stroke a spot inside her that brought her even more pleasure. She laid her head back against his shoulder, needing to feel his lips on hers.

"Irina..." Jack whispered into her ear and wanted to tell her that he liked her... more, that he didn't want to let her go again. That he wished it could be always liked this. He wrapped his arms around her body and pressed her lower body closer to his, entering her even deeper. A deep moan escaped her throat, and her hand reached back to bury itself in his hair.

They let themselves get carried away by the tender waves of passion that washed over their bodies, moving them closer and closer towards sweet oblivion.  
Unable to express their feelings with words, the language of their tender coupling seemed to be the only way for them to betray how they felt deep inside their hearts.

They made love over and over again that night, unable to keep their hands off each other. Jack was surprised by the total devotion with which Irina met his passion, not knowing that her only reason was the assumption that she would never see him again after tonight, therefore allowing her body to take pleasure in forbidden desires. Sleeping with Jack was probably wrong, but the fact remained that they would never meet again, so their beautiful mistakes would have no consequences - except for maybe a broken heart...


	12. Busted

**Part 11 - Busted  
**  
The fresh air struck her like needles of ice water when she stepped out of the pension and looked into the early morning sunlight. She yawned a little - the exhaustion of the night catching up with her. The two hours of sleep she had gotten, had simply been too few. But she had no choice. She had a rendez-vous with Katya, and her sister would certainly not wait for long. 

"Milady! Milady..." The landlady ran out of the house, and Irina turned.

"Shht..." she hushed the woman and pulled her away from the open street where Jack could see her. "Be quiet. I told you, the man I shared a room with must not know I'm leaving."

"I'm sorry... here, I brought you the things you asked for. Bread, some water and a new dress. It's one of my daughter's, but it should fit you perfectly."

"Thank you." Irina smiled and paid the woman graciously. Her old eyes filled with tears of joy when she held the two golden coins in her hand.

"Milady, that's way too much... I can't..."

"Keep it." Irina said kindly. "Just promise me to keep your mouth shut and not tell him anything about my whereabouts. Pretend to not know anything."

"I will, Madam. You can count on old Madeleine." The woman bowed to Irina and kissed her hand. "God bless you and your family..."

Irina felt embarrassed by the gesture. She knew that the people in this village were one of the poorest in the country, but two golden coins weren't that much money - still the old women made a big deal out of it, as if Irina had just given her a whole manor.

She touched the woman's hair. "Get up, good woman. You don't need to bow in front of me."

Then she turned and went to the horse. If Jack wanted to follow her, he would have to take care of a horse first - which would be hard in a village where only two peasants had a horse. There was no way he would be able to catch up with her, and when he learned where she had gone, she would long be with her family in Russia.

She touched the horse's nostrils and spoke soft words into its ear to calm it down and keep it from making any noise, then she got up. 

"Thank you for everything." Irina whispered to the woman, who smiled.

"God bless you." She repeated once again, and then turned when Irina had broken into a gallop.

Jack was still asleep when he felt for the body of the woman next to him, longing for her warmth. All his hand found was the empty space next to him. He opened his eyes and blinked at the bright light of the sun that filled the room. Her space was empty. He yawned and turned onto his back.

"Irina... Come back to bed, it's still early..." he murmured, assuming that she was preparing to leave. Not for one second did it occur to him that she might be gone. After all she had promised to not try to escape again. As a man of honor, a promise counted to him like the life of a human did. But when she didn't answer, he sat up slowly, finding the room empty and her clothes gone.

Within a second he was wide awake, off the bed and standing before the window. When he didn't see her outside, a bad feeling started to build up in his stomach. He had trusted her - maybe that had been wrong. After all she had never hidden the fact that she would always consider him as her enemy.

It didn't take him long to get dressed and leave the room. In the small kitchen downstairs, he found the old landlady sitting with one of her daughters at the table sewing.

"Where is she?" He was aware that his tone was not at all appropriate, but didn't care at the moment. The rage inside him was too immense to be held under control.

"Who?" The old woman asked a little scared.

"Lady Derevko... the woman I arrived with?"

The younger girl opened her mouth to say something, but was quickly hushed by her mother. Jack raised his eyebrows, suspecting that the women knew exactly what had happened. 

"We have no idea! Isn't she in your room?" The old landlady asked innocently. Jack slammed his hands to he table and bent over.

"Ladies, I don't want to play these games in here. Let me make something very clear. Lady Derevko was a royal prisoner, helping her to escape makes you criminals too. But I will ignore that fact if you tell me when she left. I assume she took the horse, so I'd be also very thankful if you could take care of an additional horse for me."

"Lord Bristow," the old woman started. "I'm living alone and have to take care of four children. Most of the year I don't even have enough food for myself, not to mention for my children. Last winter my eldest daughter had to sell her body in Brighton, otherwise we couldn't even have afforded wood to keep our house warm. The lady you are searching for is a generous woman. She paid me enough money to make it through the coming winter, and I will not reward her generosity by betraying her to the queen - or one of her stooges." The woman's voice was fearless and she got up. Her daughter looked from her mother to the man, then back at her mother.

"I will supply you with a horse if you wish to have one, but that will cost you, since horses are valuable in this village. We have only two as you should have noticed. But over and above that, you won't get any information about the Lady."

Jack took a deep breath to calm down from his rage. "Listen," he then continued, his tone softer, "Lady Derevko is sometimes a very stubborn woman. I am her husband, and I want to prevent her from making things worse by doing something foolish."

"I don't believe you."

"Of course you don't." Jack sighed. "Fine, if you could get me a horse, I will leave as soon as possible."

It was already afternoon when Irina saw the crossing in the distance. She longed for a break - so did the horse. She'd driven the horse at full gallop the whole way. She felt more tired by hour and had to force herself to keep awake.  
When she got closer to the meeting point, she could make out the carriage that was standing at the side of the street.

A tall, woman with short, brown hair stood outside and went around in the grass. Irina sighed in total relief. Her message had reached Katya on time.

"Katya!" she yelled, and urged the horse to cross the remaining hundred meters quickly. Then she stopped in front of the carriage, almost falling of the horse when she tried to slide down. Katya jumped to support her. 

"My god, Irina... you look awful. What happened?"

"A lot... The short version is, I was found by the queen's soldiers and fled to Gerard, who tried to kill me."

"What?!?" Katya cried out in disbelief.

"Yes, he thought I had betrayed him and said that I had become worthless and a too high risk. So he wanted to drown me but I was..." She cut herself off, thinking that it was not wise to inform Katya about how far Jack was involved in the story. That would only raise questions - questions she didn't want to answer. "I was able to escape. Now I'm an outlaw. I can't go back to our house, because the soldiers are searching the region, and I can't go to Gerard."

"Damn it," Katya murmured. She was the most mannered of the three girls and allowed herself only to curse when they were alone.

"I have a plan, but I need your help." Irina then stated. "I will go and visit our father's sister in Russia. I will be safe there and out of the reach of the queen. But you and Elena should not get involved with any illegal interactions during the next months. The queen will most likely have you observed."

"Irina, you have never been to Russia. You can't go there alone."

"I can and I have to! We still need you and Elena here. If you go with me, you will confirm their suspicion that you are also involved with terrorists. Please, Katya... I'm going to be okay." Irina shook her head. "And I don't see any other way at the moment."

"Yes, maybe you are right. Fine, get into the carriage. We will stop at the next town and rent a guestroom to talk about how to move on from here. We have to get you a safe passage to Russia on a trustworthy ship. I'd be more relieved if you had a male to accompany you, like Gerard, who will take care that the ship's crew doesn't bother you. But since that's impossible at the moment, we have to see what we can do."

They entered the carriage and Katya told the man in the front where to go. When they started to move, Katya shook her head in confusion.

"I still don't understand how this could happen. I mean, there are dozens of villages around the forest where you met the soldier, and it should have taken them months to find you. How could he find you so quickly?"

Irina thought it useless to pretend not to know the reason, given the fact that Elena knew about her mistake in giving away her name. Katya would learn it anyway.

"That was my fault. I told him my name that night." She confessed. Katya gasped for air.

"Irina..." she started accusingly, but the look in her sisters eyes shut her up.

"I know!" She snapped and sighed deeply. "I know... it was a mistake I can't unmake - unfortunately. But I didn't know it was a setup, and besides it was only my forename. I didn't expect him to be able to do anything with my forename."

"Because half of the kingdom is called Irina." Katya murmured sarcastically and lifted her hands apologetically when Irina seemed prepared to pounce on her. "Sorry. Go on..."

"That's it... he must have asked for me everywhere and someone told him where I lived. So I ran away."

"He did not see you?" Katya asked.

"Yes, he saw me. We had a discussion. He offered to let me to work with him to bring down the rebels, in return, he would forget that I was involved. I refused - of course."

"Why?" Katya shook her head.

"What do you mean, why?" Irina asked in total consternation. "Do you want me to bring you all to prison?"

"No, but working with him you would have had the power over him. You could have just made him believe that you were on his side. That way we would have gained important information about their next strategies against us."

Irina stared at her sister, then slowly shook her head. "I can't do that! I couldn't do that. He was so... kind."

Katya held her eyes for some minutes, then sighed and leaned against the back of her seat. "I told you to never fall in love with a contact!"

"I am not in love with him!" Irina contradicted, her face showing more security than she felt in her heart. "I liked him... there's a difference."

"Do you still 'like' him?" Katya asked. She knew her sister. Irina had always been her confidante, and there had been no person in this world Katya had trusted more, since she knew Irina acted absolutely professionally and would never endanger them by any thoughtless actions. And therefore, she knew very well that her sister must have felt more than just sympathy for that man. Irina gave a short, ironic laugh.

"He's the enemy." She replied and both knew that this was not exactly the answer to the question Katya had asked, but when Irina didn't make any effort to be a little more specific, Katya decided to not pursue the topic any further.

"Okay, so you ran away... does he have any idea where you are now?"

"No, I don't think so." Irina replied, deciding to skip the sequence in between that included her marriage and the last three days. No need for her sister to know that. She was sure that Jack had annulled the marriage anyway by now.

"Good." Katya nodded satisfied. "Then you are safe for now. He can't search all of England within a week. So we have enough time to take care of everything."

Ten minutes later they came into a small town. There was only one small bar that rented rooms to strangers. The women were lucky, the landlord had one room left. He took care of their horses while the women rested in their room. Irina felt exhaustion gaining control over her, and after Katya had assured her that she would take care of everything, she sank down on the bed to sleep a little.

When she had pulled the sheets over her body, she wrapped her arms around her waist and closed her eyes.

For the first time in years she slept deep and dreamless, only waking up when Katya sat down on the bed and the tinkling of porcelain could be heard next morning. Yawning, Irina opened her eyes. Katya smiled down at here.

"I have a hot cup of strong coffee for you, just the way you like it." 

For a moment, Irina had to gather her memories to know where she was. Then she sat up quickly.

"How long did I sleep?" she asked shocked, and Katya laughed.

"Almost thirteen hours. I didn't want to disturb you, since you need all the sleep you can get." She watched as her sister took a mouthful of the strong coffee and leaned back against the wall. Katya searched her bag and pulled out some papers.

"Here, I secured your passage to Russia. It's a small harbor, and you will have to buy a horse there to go on, so I made sure to get enough money."

Irina took the small leather bag with the money and stared open-mouthed at her sister. "Wow... where did you get that much money so fast?"

"Ah, you know... I've had some affairs... one of the men lives close to hear, so I... well I seduced him... then blackmailed him into giving me money, otherwise I'd tell his wife."

"Katya!" Irina cried out in disbelief. "You sold yourself??? You know that was what..."

"Irushka, there was not enough time to get the money from home. I've shared the bed of that man so many times that it can barely be called prostitution. Besides, the most important thing now is that you get out of England safely."

The sisters looked at each other, then Irina hugged Katya closely. "Thank you for everything."

"We will soon meet again. If you don't hear anything from Elena or me, return to England in three years. If things become too complicated here, we will follow you to Russia." Katya promised and touched her sisters cheek. "I won't let the queen and her law break our family apart." The woman got up and smiled. "So, you should probably get dressed. I thought, we could visit seamstress to get you a few additional dresses and accessories."

With these words she left the room. Irina stared at the door where Katya had disappeared, then at the cup with the warm coffee in her hands. It would have been a lie to pretend that she was fearless about leaving her family. She would go to a country she had never seen before - to people she didn't know. She only knew a few common Russian phrases their father had taught them. It would hardly be enough to communicate appropriately.

With a deep sigh she got up and went to the window. The sun was shining over the small village, and Irina stood and watched the people going on with their normal life for some minutes. Then she started to get dressed.

She was just doing her hair in front of the mirror, when she heard noise in front of the pension. A new guest she assumed, since she could clearly hear the voice of their landlord. Only two minutes later she could hear steps on the stairs, then a knock at her door.

"Yes, come in," she said loudly, and her heart seemed to skip a beat when the door was pushed open loudly and crashed against the wall. "Excuse me," she started angrily. "Could you just be a little more..."

She cut herself off when she turned around and looked into the face of the obviously infuriated man. Within a second she jumped up from the small chair in front of the mirror.

"What... what are you... how did you..."

"How did I find you?" Jack Bristow asked friendly – menacingly friendly. "I have to admit it took me a great deal of effort - especially since you had paid our landlady not to talk to me." His eyes sparkled dangerously and he seemed ready to kill her...


	13. Dark Promises

_**Part 12 – Dark promises**_

Every step Jack advanced towards her, Irina took backwards, until she felt the wall at her back.

"Fortunately, your maid gave away that you were planning to meet your sister halfway to London. I happened to remember that little detail. So, I just went the way I would have gone, if I had wanted to meet someone halfway to London, as measured from your house. As I passed by this village, I saw the horse on the field by chance."

Jack slammed his hands left and right of her shoulders against the wall, imprisoning her in between his arms. Irina laid her head against the wall, and he could see the uncertainty in her eyes. He had caught her totally by surprise, and she was struggling to regain control over herself now. She seemed close to panicking.

"I understand you are a little outraged..." she started, obviously an attempt to calm him down. He played with some of her hair, his face completely neutral without showing any emotion – only his eyes gave away the immense fury that was raging inside him.

"A little outraged..." He repeated her words. "...is what I was after you had beaten me down. Now I'm so furious, I could just kill you right here. You tricked me!"

"What is going on here?" A sharp voice asked from the door, and Jack turned around. Irina took advantage of his attention being pulled away to flee over the bed to the other side of the room until she was standing next to her sister.

"I assume you're the third one of the Derevko sisters." Jack said amicably, but coldly. "I'm pleased to meet you. I just wish it were under friendlier conditions. I'm afraid I have to tell you that your sister has been arrested."

"Irina, who is that man?" Katya asked, not letting Jack out of her eyes and looking him up and down.

"That's.. um..." Irina cleared her throat. "That's Jack... Bristow. I mean Lord Bristow." She hurried to add, when she became aware of the personal address she had used.

"Oh..." Katya simply said, her behavior not changing. If she was shocked by the unexpected presence of their enemy, she could hide her emotions excellently. "Well... in that case... I think any show of manners by an appropriate introduction is superfluous, since you know you're not welcome here."

Irina stared at her sister, then at Jack. The man didn't even pay attention to the woman with the dark brown hair, but instead, took a step towards Irina.

"I am sorry, Lady Derevko, but your sister is under arrest and will be charged with treason and spying in connection with several attempts to flee the law." He wanted to grab Irina, but Katya stepped in front of her, pushing Jack away.

"Don't you dare touch her, you son of a bitch."

"Katya!" Irina shoved her sister aside softly. "Could you leave us alone for just two minutes? Please..."

"Irushka, I will not leave you here with that bastard." Katya said, talking as if Jack was not in the room. "Who knows what he will do to you?"

Jack didn't pay attention to Katya anymore, and neither did Irina. She looked at Jack. "Let's talk... reasonably."

He laughed at her suggestion. "Well, the last time I talked reasonably to you, you promised me to not run away if I took you to London. I did.. well, I was trying to. I didn't even lock you up or shackle you, because I trusted you to be an honorable woman whose word could be relied on. Obviously I was wrong..."

"You are my enemy! Nobody trusts the word of his enemy."

"Well, I did..." he replied. "Because I never considered you to be my enemy! Until now."

For a moment she couldn't think of anything appropriate to reply. Something inside her seemed to be torn apart, and she struggled against the bad conscience that slowly awoke inside her.

"Jack, I..." she started, wanting to apologize, but he didn't let her finish.

"Get your things. We will leave in two hours. I will take you to prison... where I should have already brought you four days ago, you traitorous bitch." He grabbed Irina's wrists. The woman started to struggle against him, at first pleading with him to listen, then cursing him and trying to kick him. When Katya understood what was about to happen, she tried to help Irina, supporting her attempts to get free by her own blows and curses against Jack.

"Jack wait... let's work out a solution... I swear to you, I'm not going to run away again..." Irina tried to calm him down in an almost panicked voice, but the two just locked their eyes furiously.

"And there is absolutely no reason for me to mistrust your words..." His voice was dripping with sarcasm.

"Lord Bristow, I swear to you, she's going to keep her word..." Katya explained sharply, still trying to loosen Jack's grip around her sister's arms.

"Jack..." Irina suddenly surrendered to him and allowed him to cuff her hands. "Please..."

The man looked at her for a long time. "Irina, I did everything to find a solution to keep you out of this. I risked my own position... I saved your life. Have you ever thought about what is going to happen to me if the queen finds out that I kept your name in the dark? That I shielded you from law? That I'm even married to you?"

"Married?" Katya cried out, and both Jack and Irina turned their eyes on her.

"Seems somebody has not told her sister the entire story," Jack murmured ironically. Irina pulled at the metal chains angrily, but he held her firmly.

"Irina, did you marry this man?" Katya's voice was sharp, as she pierced her sister with her eyes.

"It's not what it sounds like," Irina started, "Yes, we married.. we had to, or Gerard would have had us both killed. But we... Jack wants to get an annulment as soon as he reaches a larger city. The marriage doesn't mean anything."

"You know what?" Jack suddenly said, "I don't agree here..."

"What?" Irina and Katya asked in unison and stared at him.

"Jack, you... you promised me to..." Irina started, immediately being interrupted by the man.

"Yes, I promised you to get the annulment. You promised me to not run away. You didn't keep your promise, so why should I keep mine? Why should I lie again to shield you from anything? The marriage was consummated and is therefore valid under every existing law."

"Consummated?" Katya asked, her voice getting louder and almost hysterical. Irina lifted her hands.

"Katya, could you just stay out of this for a few moments?"

"Irina, you married the counselor of the queen, and you even consummated the marriage? I think there's no reason for me to stay out of this, since I'm as involved as you are. How could you do that? You know that a marriage can only be annulled under certain circumstances – the most important being that you did not consummate it!"

"Obviously, your sister thought it easier to manipulate me if she slept with me." Jack threw in bitterly, and Irina turned to him to contradict.

"I did not..." she started almost softly, trying to touch his hand, but the cuffs didn't allow her to move her hands. "I didn't try to manipulate you. That was not why I..."

"Why else did you do it?" Jack asked coldly. "Explain it to me?"

She just stared at him. The answer seemed to be so easy in her heart – but it was so hard to form into words. How should she tell him that he awoke feelings inside her that no other men before had ever been able to make her even think of? That, in a weird sort of way, she felt safe when she was close to him, but that, on the other hand, she hated him?

It was too complicated to explain – too illogical.

"Okay..." Katya stated, realizing the awkwardness of the situation, lifted her hands and sat down on the bed. "Maybe we should all sit down for a moment and talk about the issue like mature adults."

Irina's eyes were still locked on Jack's. She did not even comprehend the words her sister said. "Jack... you can't reproach me for that... or take it as a reason to keep the marriage up!"

Jack pulled her closer, ignoring her attempts to free herself. "I'm a rude bastard without manners. Isn't that what you believe? An English soldier, who would take advantage of everything."

"I..." Irina started, shocked by his icy voice, which showed her that he was raging with fury. "I... did never... I..."

"Well..." Jack stated. "I will fulfill all your expectations, lady. And since I don't know any manners or honor, why should I get an annulment when I'm married to such a sexy, breathtakingly beautiful woman. I'd be a fool to do so." His face was close to hers now. "No, being the 'rude English bastard' I am, I will keep you as my wife, and when I have enough of you, take a mistress... or two."

"Jack!" Irina felt as if she was in a nightmare. Panic started to rise in her. "Let go of me... you're hurting me!" He became aware that his grip around her was indeed a little too harsh and let go of her. Shackled as she was, she couldn't go anywhere anyway.

Katya had still not recovered from her shock. She ran her hands over her forehead nervously and finally got up.

"Okay, Lord Bristow, I am making you an offer... which you will hopefully take." She started. When she had his full attention, she took a deep breath. "I know that all you want is to bring down the terrorist ring. I have no idea what happened that you and my sister... well... have this kind of relationship and obviously loathe each other now. However, I promise you, I am going to spy for you. I'm going to get you every name of every weapons trader, smuggler and assassin who is or was ever involved with our group. I have to admit that this might take time. I have to get the trust of some higher ranking men first, but that shouldn't be a problem. Still, you have to give me at least three months. In return you will leave our family out of this and get the annulment for the marriage with my sister."

Jack gave a short, ironic laugh. "Give me one reason why I should trust you more than your traitorous sister here?"

Irina shot him an angry look at this comment, but kept silent.

"Because..." Katya took a deep breath. "As it is tradition in groups of criminals: ware first, then payment. I will hand you a detailed list including names, places and actions in about three months. Only then will I get my sister back in return – with her marriage annulled."

"Katya!" Irina cried outraged. "I'm not some kind of ware you can deal with!"

But neither of them paid attention to her. Jack nodded, his eyes locked deeply with Katya's.

"I like that deal." He admitted. "So, I will keep your sister as my prisoner until you hand me the intel. How will I know that you won't gather all your terrorist friends and attack my manor to free Irina?"

"Because I know that you would kill her then." Katya replied without turning a hair. "I will be in contact with you all the time. In return, I trust you to not hurt Irina in any way..." Both fell into a long silence, obviously considering the offer. "Do we have a deal?" The woman finally asked and held out her hand to Jack.

Jack looked at Irina, whose eyes clearly showed disbelief, anger and panic. She had challenged him, and now she seemed to lose. With unfair means, she had tried to trick him, so to him it seemed only fair to pay her back. Although he knew, three months with an outraged and furious Irina would not be an easy path to travel. But that would make it even more interesting. He intended to show her that he was not simply a man whom she could manipulate and play her games with.

He turned back to Katya.

"We have a deal." He finally stated and took the woman's hand.

"I can't believe you just did that." Irina stared at her sister. "I can't believe you just... gave me to him."

"Irina, the situation is not my fault!" Katya snapped. "I was not the one who told her name to an enemy, I was not the one who married him and then ran away. And it was especially not me who slept with him! That was you. So don't blame me if you have to take the consequences now."

"I'm going to kill you if I get out of here..." Irina hissed back, and Katya folded her arms.

"Fine... this is certainly going to be interesting. If you would excuse me now, I have to go... to save your butt." She said with a side-glance at Irina.

"Katya! Don't you dare leave!" Irina watched as Katya collected her things. "I'm warning you..." she repeated her threat, but it was useless. Katya left the room and shut the door behind her. Irina stared at the closed door, then pulled again at her shackles.

"So..." Jack gave her one of his cold smiles. "Finally, I got one sister working for me."

"You know what I really wish for right now?" Irina asked, not even trying to hide her anger.

"That you had a knife to stab me." Jack assumed, but the woman shook her head.

"No, to get rid of these chains. I don't need a knife to kill you, my fury is enough."

"Considering that information, I think I will keep you chained until we're in my manor where I can lock you up."

Irina watched him packing her stuff. She was raging with fury. Only half an hour ago she had wished that she would see him only once again in her life to apologize for leaving and to thank him for what he had done. Now all she wanted to do was to kill him – right after she had killed Katya.

"I swear to you... when I get free again, no place will be safe enough to protect you from me." She swore.

"IF you get free again." He commented dryly, leaving her stunned for a moment before she understood what his words implied. She stared at him in total disbelief when he continued. "Technically I have enough information to destroy the terrorist ring... if I do so before she hands me the list, her list is worthless, and the whole deal is invalid."

"Why then did you make a deal with her..." she started and Jack turned to her and lowered his face to hers.

"This is not about your sister or your family – I'm not even interested in them and their involvement with the terrorists. This is just about me and you. You challenged me Irina, and you tried to win by unfair means, like betraying me when I trusted you. If you think I am that easy, you are mistaken. I'm going to give you a really hard time in the prison at my manor – time for you to think about dignity."

"You cannot do that. You can't seriously plan to keep me in a prison cell all the time." she whispered almost soundlessly and got up.

Slowly, Jack walked around her, then, standing behind her back, he bent to her ear.

"Irina, I have never treated you disrespectfully. I've tried to be gentle and kind from the start, yet all you have done from the day we met was judge me although you didn't even know me. You called me rude, unmannered and worse after all I have done for you. I tried to protect you from the law – which put my own position in danger – I followed you and almost lost my life. All because I didn't want to listen to that prejudice inside me that said you were nothing but a cheap criminal. I believed that you were a lady – a loveable, charming, beautiful lady, but all you have done so far was insult me." He touched her cheek in a tender gesture. "I'm tired of being insulted by an unthankful witch, so I am taking my reward. I arrested you and I saved your life, so after every law I know, your life is in my hands now. I wanted to be friends with you, but all you did was try to betray me. You want to hate me... I'm giving you a reason to. Now you have the enemy you have searched for the whole time."

With these words he left her standing in the room while he went to pack the horse. Irina watched him leave, then sank against the wall. Her mind felt paralyzed from shock. She didn't doubt for one split second that he meant what he had said. And she didn't doubt either, that it was all her fault...


	14. Devils and Angels

_**Part 13 – Devils and Angels**_

_Eleven days later_

When the heavy door at the beginning of the small, humid corridor opened, bright daylight made a small mouse flee with a shriek. A young man looked up at the blurred shape of a person silhouetted against the light and jumped up when he recognized the visitor.

"Sire..." he said and saluted.

Jack Bristow nodded at him. "How is she?" he asked quietly, and the man obviously felt uncomfortable about this question.

"When I brought her the food, she wouldn't take it, and when I opened the door to bring it inside, she jumped up, took it and threw it at me. I thought she would kill me!"

Jack chuckled and took the key from the guard. It had been almost two weeks since Irina and he had entered into a state of war against each other. When they had departed from the small village, he had still been angry and – yes, he had to admit – hurt in his pride that Irina had been able to fool him. He had sworn to himself that he wouldn't make the mistake of trusting her again.

But seeing her, sitting shackled on the horse, had cooled down his anger a little and when they had reached his manor, he was determined to make the three months as comfortable as he could for her – provided that she behaved at least a little cooperatively.

He had given Irina her own room and granted her permission to move freely within the property – including the garden. He knew, three months in a prison cell were like hell and even if he mistrusted Irina, he didn't want her to rot in the prison cell of his cellar.

Yet, obviously Irina had mistaken his patience for kindness and so she hadn't been able to resist tempting him once more. Now she was unwilling to give in, and he was too stubborn to do so.

I guess in a way, he mused, we are a perfect match.

He went down the corridor and finally looked through the bars of her cell. She was sitting on a cushion in a corner, her knees pulled to her chest. When she became aware of him, she jumped up and almost ran to the bars. Her eyes sparkled with rage.

"You..." she hissed, and Jack knew better than to get too close to the bars. He was sure that she would be able to kill him with a barred door between them.

"Nice to see you too, Irina. So, I take it you still don't want to eat."

"I will not eat until you let me out of here!"

"I will not let you out until you apologize!" he countered and leaned against the wall opposite to her cell, observing her. Irina folded her arms.

"Your damned guards should apologize! I won't, since it wasn't my fault!" she announced, and he tilted his head slightly.

"Then... welcome to your new home. I hope it's comfortable enough for the next three months."

"Bastard!"

"Witch!"

Both took a deep breath, knowing that they would get nowhere with a conversation like this. Irina closed her hands around the bars and laid her forehead to the cool metal.

"I told you, I did not try to flee. I simply needed a little fresh air." She started in a calm and rational voice.

"You stole a horse. The whole staff of the stable was after you. Don't tell me you were just trying to have a nice afternoon and then were going to return in the evening." He countered in the same calm tone. Irina slammed her fists so loudly against the metal that the young guard jumped up and ran to protect Jack, a weapon in his hand. Jack lifted his arm to calm him down and signaled him to leave them alone.

"You are scaring my soldiers." He mused and glanced at Irina.

"I wanted to take a ride. I had been sitting in this damned house for over a week. I wanted to see a little bit of the countryside. Your men totally overreacted, the horse got scared and I lost control... It was not an attempt to flee from them! I was too busy to hold on to that horse to even think about any kind of escape."

"I see..." Jack nodded. "And do you remember what I told you when we arrived? You are free to move in the house and the garden, but never ever leave the property AND never ever take a horse – especially not my best one. So you can't blame them for assuming that you were attempting to flee."

Irina scoffed and pierced the man with her eyes. "I did not know it was your best horse. I liked her. She looks beautiful, so I chose her. Of course I didn't know your men would scare her to death! Besides, I told you that I do not take any orders from you. Do you really think that I would try to escape with one of your horses? I'm smarter than that. I know, horses return to their owner. I couldn't have left the animal alone!"

"I see you have given that thought some consideration." His eyes blinked with amusement when he went closer and touched her hands in a tender gesture. Irina pulled them away from him and sat down on her small bed.

She was in fact the toughest woman he had ever met, of that there was no question. A slight smiled played around the corner of his mouth when he remembered how tempered she was. Any other woman he knew would have long sat on her knees, begging for pardon, but instead of asking him to let her out, she insulted and cursed him.

"Is there anything else?" Irina asked coldly. "If not, I advise you to leave. You won't hear an apology from me."

"Fine, then... enjoy the rest of the day." Jack said. He turned to leave when he remembered something else. "Oh, and I take it that you won't start to eat again during the next days. Do you mind if I reduce your meals to bread and water then? Because it's such a pity to have the cook prepare a rich meal for you if you just throw it against the wall. Water and bread are easier to throw and cost less."

She pounced on the metal door and cursed loudly, mixed with frustrated cries while she shook the door violently. "I hate you, Jack Bristow! I HATE YOU!"

Jack couldn't help but chuckle, when he passed by the young soldier who looked at him with eyes huge in shock. The young man just could not understand how Jack could be so cool and controlled when in presence of that woman. He himself was always happy when his shift was over and she hadn't caused more than the usual trouble – like throwing food and cursing. But Jack Bristow seemed to enjoy fighting with her.

"Sire," he said and saluted when Jack looked at him.

"Call me if anything happens... oh, and make sure Miss Derevko receives the two books I asked Harold to take from the library."

"I shall give them to her?" the young man asked, his voice not hiding the hint of panic that hit him. Jack tilted his head, his eyes sparkling amused.

"Of course! Is there a problem with that?"

"No, Sire... not at all... Sire... it's just that..." The man hesitated and obviously considered whether he should say his words or not.

"What?" Jack asked.

"Well... it's just that books hurt more than food when they are thrown."

Jack stared at him, not knowing whether to yell at the man or to laugh, then he shook his head and went to the door. "I can't believe my soldiers are more afraid of a woman than of war." He murmured before he closed the door. The young man looked after him and gulped, then he looked at Irina's cell. In a way, Bristow was right... yet, he still hoped that the books would be brought when the next soldier had shift.

_Somewhere in Northern England – Evening of the same day_

The young woman moved aside to leave the bed and collect her clothes from the ground. It was time for her to go, she had a meeting with a contact in two hours.

An arm grabbed her around the waist and held her softly.

"Don't leave just yet..."

"I have to..." she replied and freed herself. "I told you I have a meeting."

"Katya, please, could you just forget about the meeting?" He sat up and touched her shoulders to kiss her velvet skin. Katya moved out of his grip and grabbed her underwear from the ground.

"Julian, if I just forget about the meeting, the information you gave me is worthless. Besides, my maid is waiting for me... I'm sure she's scared already." Katya pulled on her underwear, then her dress.

"When will I see you again?" Julian Sark admired the perfectly shaped body of his newest conquest. She was already a little older than him, but that didn't disturb him. It had never disturbed him – on the contrary.

Katya turned at this question, placing a soft kiss on his lips. "Soon, I promise... And then we'll do everything you ever dreamed about."

With this sweet promise she got up and went to the door. "I'll be in contact."

Julian watched as she left and wondered why he had the feeling that this time he was not the one in control over the affair.

Katya went along the dark corridor and left the house through the back door. She knew Julian Sark... she had met him several times in London and his interest in her had been pretty clear. And knowing that he was in contact with some higher ranking men of their terrorist ring, she would use him until she didn't need him anymore.

Interesting, she mused, that those men who think they are the best lovers are usually the worst ones ever. Well, she would have a little time to teach Julian a few things.

His information was really valuable, and he had managed to arrange a meeting with a higher ranking officer for her. All she had to do now was gain the trust of that man – the rest would be as easy as a game of chess.

_Another two days later_

"WHAT?"

The young soldier made a step towards the wall, when Irina stared at him, the look on her face proving that she was prepared to kill.

"How dare he?"

"I'm... I'm...I'm sorry... Milady." He stammered. "It's just what I was told to give to you..."

Irina looked at the young man on the other side of the barred door, then at the sheet of paper in her hand.

_Dinner is at 9pm. I expect you_

_to be there in an appropriate dress_

_and mood._

_Jack_

After having read the words once again, she crumpled the sheet in her hand and threw it against the wall. No please, no kind word. Just an order.

"Tell Mr. Bristow that I won't have dinner with him." She snapped and folded her arms. "And advise him that he should work on his tone. Giving an order for dinner is certainly not an appropriate way to make a woman peaceful – not even at court!"

"But Milady... I told you that he said explicitly, he wouldn't accept a no!" The man had gotten more courageous during the last two days after she had talked to him in his night shift. She had asked him about Jack, then later they had talked about common things. He had learned that she was a very nice woman who treated him with respect. Still, he didn't want to be the one who outraged her in any way.

"Well, then greet him from me and tell him, that I still don't accept orders."

Young Andrew knew, that Irina wouldn't change her mind. It amazed him how much she resembled Lord Bristow in her reaction and stubbornness. He shrugged his shoulders, knowing that any attempt to convince her to attend dinner would only strengthen her in her unwillingness to go, and then turned to bring the message to Jack.

Irina was prepared to see Jack any minute, furiously yelling at her and asking her what she was thinking to turn down an order of his, but to her surprise he didn't come. She sighed. The last days she had spend mostly sitting on her bed. The books that had been brought to her had been lying on the small table for a whole day before Irina had finally overcome her stubbornness and admitted that she was indeed bored. Then she had started reading. It hadn't taken her more than the last night to finish the literature and now she felt bored again. Yet, she would rather die than ask for more.

Her stomach hurt from hunger, but she was too proud to take any of the food that had been brought to her. That would be like surrendering to Jack, and she was not willing to do so. She was afraid of him – actually she was afraid of the power he had over her heart and her body.

She had never reacted uncontrolled when provoked by an enemy. She had never lost her self-control and yelled at somebody. But for some reason Jack managed to make her rage with fury, and she didn't understand why.

She paced up and down in her cell – although it could barely be called a cell anymore. She had a small table, a commode, a mirror, a bathtub – still, the fact remained that she was a prisoner. She longed for being out and free to move wherever she wanted.

At 9pm Irina had already forgotten about the dinner 'invitation', when suddenly the corridor was filled with rumbling and voices. A soldier opened the barred door, and maids started to bring in plates and glasses. They ignored Irina's protests and questions about what they were doing, but chit-chatted about the newest happenings and affairs.

When they were finished, they left the room without taking any note of Irina. The woman looked at the rich dinner and felt her stomach hurt.

"Don't even think about it." Jack warned when he entered the room, fearing that he would be greeted by a flying plate. The soldier locked the cell behind them and then left. Irina stared at Jack, then at the door and folded her arms.

"You're courageous. Letting yourself be locked in here with me when you're in danger of being killed." She stated, and he chuckled, but didn't comment on her provocation. Instead, he sat down at the small table. Irina didn't move.

"Sit down," Jack said frankly after a few minutes. The woman didn't make any effort to comply. "Irina, I want to talk about some kind of truce, and I don't want to do so with you standing."

"Truce?" Irina asked, but sat down now. She didn't look down at the food but kept her eyes locked with his.

"Yes," Jack replied. "It can't go on like this. You've been in this cell for four days now and all the time you haven't eaten anything. This is ridiculous. I won't let you starve to death, so we should work out a compromise."

"Like what?" Irina asked neutrally, unable to resist the smell of the food. She took a strawberry from a plate.

"I will let you out of here. In return you promise to not leave the property without company." He offered her some wine, and she gave him her glass.

"Company?" she asked, savoring the taste of the strawberry. Never in her life had she worshipped the fact that she had food more.

"Me." He explained. "If you want to go for a ride or take a walk, you can just come to me and I will accompany you. You're free to move everywhere inside the manor and the garden, but the moment you try to leave it on your own, without me, you'll be returned to this cell."

Irina scoffed and took a sip of wine, then she got up and walked around. "I don't like the sound of this..." she finally explained. "I told you I don't take orders and I..."

"It is not an order," Jack corrected her friendly. "It's an offer which you can take or turn down."

"You can't lock me down here forever." Irina explained neutrally, and Jack chuckled while he got up slowly.

"We are married, so practically I can do everything I want." What he said was true, still his eyes betrayed that locking Irina down here was the last thing he wanted.

Irina's eyes sparkled in a silent challenge, seeing how he looked her up and down. She remembered the nights she had shared with him and shivered slightly.

No, she finally stopped herself, he is not going to win this game.

She would not give in just because he said something charming or tried to be nice. She would teach him a lesson about using the means he would use with one of the cheap ladies at court.

"Jack, I would do almost everything to leave this goddamned cell..." she started and leaned against the cold stone wall behind her, her hands on her back, while she held Jack's eyes seductively.

"All you have to do is to agree. You can either choose this place to be your prison, or you can choose it to be a comfortable home." His voice was low while he slowly approached her, his eyes gleaming in rising desire. Everything in her behavior reminded him of how passionate she could be and how sweetly they could take each other into the heights of ecstasy. It could have been be so easy – if just one of them had been willing to give in to the other.

Finally he reached her, his hand finding her waist and his lips grazing the skin of her cheek. Irina closed her eyes, for a moment giving in to the overwhelming warmth his closeness caused inside her. It had been too long since she had felt him close to her – too many nights where all she had was her imagination.

Her tongue started to play at his earlobe while her hands ran down his chest over his stomach and then rested on his abdomen. He pushed her against the wall and claimed the skin of her neck in a passionate exploration. Irina bit her lip to focus and not lose herself in his touch.

"Tell me what you want..." she demanded softly and bit his earlobe. When she heard him moan, she smiled triumphantly.

"I want to make love to you... I have missed that over the last two weeks." He confessed honestly and looked into her eyes. Then he lowered his head to claim her lips, but she turned her head away, knowing that she would be lost if she allowed him to kiss her.

"Tell me more... how do you want to make love to me?" she demanded, her voice thick with desire and unable to hide her arousal. Still, she was careful not to lose her last remains of control.

"I want to kiss you... everywhere. Here..." He kissed her chin. "And here..." His lips wandered to the sensitive spot under her earlobe, where he teased her now thoroughly with his tongue and lips until he was contented by her moan and felt her body shiver against his. His hands ran over her shoulder and then down her body. His fingers teased her breasts through the material before they continued their journey down.

Irina laid her hands back against Jack's chest. She had actually planned to go further, but she wasn't able to do so since she felt that she would surrender any second. There was no way she would allow herself to give in to her feelings. She had planned this to show Jack how much power she had over him, therefore she couldn't let him end this – although, she had to admit silently, she wanted nothing more.

In a sudden movement she pushed him away and fled from his touch to the other side of the room. Her eyes were dark with need and it took all her strength to gather her control. Jack turned in confusion, taking a step towards her.

"Stay away from me." She hissed and folded her arms. "You want to sleep with me? Then let me out of here... no orders, no restrictions. Otherwise, all you will get from me are little turn-ons."

Jack laughed ironically, unable to believe that he had fallen for her trick. "I should have known it when you suddenly seemed so cooperative. But I have to disappoint you. You will not blackmail me with your body into letting you go."

"We'll see... " Irina murmured, her eyes still gleaming. "You can't lock me down here forever and we both know what I can do to you when I want... it doesn't even take much of an effort."

"You are a witch, do you know that?" Jack said almost amused, then he went to the door and yelled for the soldier to open up. "You should be a little more careful about the wars you start, Irina, because I think both of us also remember what I can do to you without much of an effort." There was a silent threat in his voice and the dangerous promise that he would take revenge for her little game.

The soldier arrived and unlocked the door. Irina watched Jack leave and didn't even take the slightest notice of the soldier who closed her prison again.

Finally she was alone – as she had been the last days. She looked at the table with the food and eventually sat down. She had won this day, he had left frustrated, so why not celebrate her success with a nice dinner?

She was sure he would think his decision over soon – after one or two more nights alone. Ignoring the voice inside her that said she might as well think her resistance over given the frustration of the lonely nights, she enjoyed the rich meal.

To be continued...


	15. Commitments

_**Part 14 – Commitments**_

A normal room had never looked so beautiful to her. Irina let herself fall onto the soft mattress of her bed and stared at the ceiling for a long time.

It had been this morning when Jack had visited her and simply told her that she was allowed to return to her room. She had just stared after him until he had disappeared, not really understanding his behavior. She had neither apologized, nor indicated her cooperation in any way - on the contrary. Her behavior from yesterday evening at dinner had been another declaration of war. Had Jack surrendered?

She had expected him to let her out, but not just twelve hours later. Somehow, Irina couldn't believe that he would give up that easily, and so she decided to be very careful.

She sat up when somebody knocked at the door. "Come in."

A young girl looked into the room, her eyes turned shyly to the ground. "The Lord thought Milady might be hungry, so he sent me to tell you that there's cake and tea in the dining room."

Irina stared at the girl and cocked her head slightly. "Why is he being so nice?" It was more spoken to herself than a real question, and the girl looked up in confusion.

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing." She got up. "I'd be happy to have tea and cake in the dining room."

The girl's face brightened, as if Irina had just told her that she was actually the hidden daughter of the queen. Irina had gotten to know her before the incident with the horse had happened. Her name was Sarah, and she was a sweet girl who loved to chitchat about the happenings. Jack had chosen her to be Irina's maid for the time being, until he had found a more experienced replacement, but Irina enjoyed the company of the eighteen year old.

She followed the girl out the room. "So, Sarah, did anything interesting happen while I was gone?"

The girl sighed. "Well... the cook had a fight with one of his assistants... I think it was about a goose, however, the kitchen was totally ruined afterwards. It started out as a discussion, but then they started to throw with potatoes and beans... it was quite nasty." The girl mused. "Fortunately I was off from work that day, because afterwards I heard that Mrs. Tribbiani's mood was the worst in centuries. The men had to clean up the whole kitchen that day. It took them the whole evening and almost the whole night."

Irina laughed. She had only met Mrs. Tribbiani, the mistress of the household, once. She knew that Jack had hired the woman to take care of his servants when he was away. In manors as big as this was, a strong hand was always needed. Mrs. Tribbiani seemed to be a dragon. When Irina had met her, she had not been very nice – even more, she hadn't even considered Irina worth acknowledging.

Irina hadn't cared. After all, she was just a temporary resident of this house and hopefully would soon be gone.

Sarah opened the door to the dining room for her, and Irina entered. She found Jack sitting at the table, obviously absorbed in some letters he was reading.

"Milord, the lady is here..." Sarah announced, and only now did Jack look up. He smiled at Irina, then nodded to Sarah.

"Thank you Sarah. That's all for now."

The girl bowed and left the room. Irina approached the table slowly and sat down opposite to Jack – on the chair that offered the largest distance to his place. Jack noted it with amusement, but didn't say anything.

"I hope the experience of the last few days will keep you from leaving this property again," he stated, while he offered a plate that was filled with cake and cookies to Irina. The woman took a cookie and shrugged her shoulders.

"We'll see..." she simply said, and Jack didn't like the hidden tone in her voice.

"Irina, I'm warning you..."

"I know, you will throw me into that cell again..." she replied, almost bored and took the hot water to make a tea.

"No," Jack replied. "I will lock you in my room, chained to my bed."

"And what tells you I would see that as a bad thing?" she asked and met his eyes. Her face reflected amusement, and her eyes gleamed seductively. Jack lowered his eyes back to his letters. He knew what game she was trying to play, but he was better at this. She would wish she had never started this.

"What tells you it is meant as a bad thing?" he countered, and for a moment they looked at each other and smiled softly. "By the way, I'm giving a party in two days. Unfortunately, one of my soldiers told some of his friends at court that we are married, now almost everybody knows. There are some very good friends of mine at court who want to meet you." He held back that he had been the one tasking the young soldier to tell the story in the first place.

"What?" Irina put her cup back to the table. "What about keeping the affair secret?"

"It's not a big deal. They'll soon forget about the whole thing."

"Great... do they know who I am?"

"Yes... but they don't know that you're a terrorist, if that's what you're talking about." Jack said and took a sip of his tea. Irina sighed. This was not how she had planned it. She had thought that nobody would ever know that she and Jack had been married.

Jack scanned her reaction. He had lied to her not only concerning the soldier. Actually he didn't even plan to divorce her anymore. She was smart and beautiful and her hot temper was what he needed in his life. She was equal to him and didn't just try to please him.

He knew it would be difficult to convince her of this marriage, since she still considered them enemies – which they surely were. Jack didn't make the mistake of trusting Irina an inch. Still, he also felt deep respect for her, and it was obvious that they desired each other. Maybe her feelings could someday develop into love as well – even though the path would certainly not be an easy one.

"I have ordered a dress for you for the party from my tailor."

"Thank you..." Irina murmured and made a mental note to pay him the money he had spent for the dress. "Have you heard anything from my sister yet?"

Jack looked at her seriously. "No... not yet." He could read in her eyes that Irina was worried about her sister, and for a moment he wanted to calm her down and tell her that her sister was going to be alright. He had a soldier observing her movements. The young man would report every step Katya Derevko took to him. But Jack kept that little fact to himself – as well as all the other minor details in his plan. He wanted to have some advantages Irina did not know of since – he was sure – she would never surrender to him, and therefore he felt safer if he knew he was prepared.

They passed the rest of the time in silence until Jack apologized and left. He still had some work to do, and he had to write a few letters. Over the past few weeks, he had contacted some friends and men he knew and felt respect for to gain information about Irina's past. So far their efforts seemed unsuccessful, but there was one more contact Jack wanted to ask. He was curious about the secrets she was hiding from him.

Every time he had asked her about her past she had cut him off. That had made him even more curious, and he was determined to solve that mystery.

The alley behind the large city house was dirty, and a visitor who saw the dirty ground would have never thought that the house leading into it belonged to one of the richest men in the kingdom.

The water running through a small drain on the ground was dirty and muddy, carrying garbage with it. Somewhere a cat meowed, and the rumbling sound of falling metal could be heard.

Lady Katya Derevko hugged herself with her arms, and stepped carefully over the small drain at on the ground, taking care to not ruin her expensive clothes. The churchbells in the distance announced that it was almost midnight and Katya scoffed, slightly irritated.

"He might be a successful man, but punctuality is certainly not one of his qualities," she murmured to herself and jumped, when a mouse ran by her feet, followed by the dirty cat she had heard earlier. Katya felt fury rising inside her and could not stop herself from letting it out by kicking the poor animal.

"Good evening, Milady." A voice suddenly said close behind her, and Katya spun around, her eyes wide in shock. She scanned the appearance of the man who was standing right in front of her. He was older than she was, his hair and beard were already gray.

"Good evening. I assume, you're the man I'm supposed to meet?"

"Yes... Lady Derevko. I've heard of you and everything you've done... but I would have never pictured you to be so beautiful." He took her hand and kissed it in the most courteous manner. Katya smiled coldly and pulled her hand out if his.

"Skip the formalities." She said.

"Impatient, are we? So, I'm curious... one of my men told me you wanted to talk to me. Why me?"

"Oh, I did not specifically ask for you. I told him I wanted to talk to one of the highest ranking leaders of the rebel movement. Of course, I didn't expect to meet a counselor of the queen."

"The world is full of surprises. Now..." He offered her his arm. "Do you want to stay out here or join me in a more comfortable place?"

Katya looked around in the dark alley and decided that it was probably more dangerous in the house than out here. Still, she agreed. She couldn't do differently. Her priority was to gain this man's trust – if she had to share his bed to do so, so be it. He was not the most attractive man she had ever met, but in a way there was something about him that appealed to her – money and success. Men were easy to manipulate when they trusted a woman.

"Do you plan to tell me your name anytime soon?" Katya finally asked, and the man chuckled amused. "What are you laughing about? You know my name, so it would only be fair to put us into an even situation."

"I've heard the tragedy about your sister..." The man countered, instead of answering her question. Katya was not surprised by this revelation. This man was a counselor at court and he surely knew Jack Bristow. "Betraying our whole organization by marrying the man she loves. Doesn't that make you angry?"

"My sister is no longer part of my life, so she can do whatever she wants. It doesn't concern me anymore." Katya replied, using the coldest tone she was capable of.

"So, why did you want to talk to me?"

"I need help. My sister is gone, and my youngest sister is too inexperienced to work fully as a terrorist. I want to be a leading officer." She faced him furiously when he started to laugh loudly. Her face became a cold facade of stone, and she folded her arms. "I do not see the reason for your amusement."

"Milady, with all due respect, but you are a woman. You would have no chance against a man. You don't seriously expect me to put you into a leading pos..." He hadn't finished his sentence yet when he found himself lying on the ground, Katya's foot pressed into his back, her hands around his throat.

"So, talking about that 'no-chance-against-a-man' thing again. You were saying?" she hissed furiously.

The man gasped for air when she had let go of his throat and sat up. "Under normal circumstances, I would have to kill you now for the affront of attacking me!"

"You know why I did it." She said and stood up. Not losing is eyes when he rose from the ground, she stepped closer to him. "What do you say?"

"I will think about it!" he growled, his hand touching her shoulder and stroking away the material of her coat to reveal the silky skin of her cleavage. "But there may be a way to bribe me."

His voice was low, and Katya leaned in closer to him. "And what way could that be?" she asked seductively close to his lips. Her hot breath tickled his skin, and he pulled her waist against his in a rough gesture. Scanning her eyes for approval, he held her close to him, breathing in the scent of her. When she didn't do anything to push him away, he claimed her lips in a deep, demanding kiss that made her feel dizzy.

The next day was bright and sunny. Although a soft breeze from the sea required a coat, Irina enjoyed sitting in the huge garden on the wooden bench in front of the flowerbed, a thick book on her lap.

She had not seen Jack since yesterday when he had told her about the party. Although she was still not willing to surrender to what he said, she had decided that starting a superfluous fight was useless and would only supply the maids in the house with new gossip. So she avoided Jack's presence as far as she could.

As much as she wanted to go out or take a ride to get rid of her energies and think about anything else than her situation, she was too proud to ask Jack to accompany her. The least she wanted was to spend time with her 'husband' now.

Irina gave a deep sigh and dropped the book. She lifted her face to the warming beams of the sun and closed her eyes. Actually, if she thought about it, the surroundings were as she had always wished them to be as a child and young girl. She had wanted to marry a rich and well-situated husband with a huge and beautiful house.

Great, she thought bitterly. She had gotten everything she had wished for, except or one little detail. Her husband was her enemy, and they hated each other – at least kind of.

Irina's suspicion woke immediately when all the maids, who had been hanging up laundry twenty meters away from her, stopped their laughter and chitchatting. She opened her eyes, feeling that something was wrong and saw Jack strolling towards her bench.

With a loud sound, Irina closed her book and got up. Jack noticed that she was about to leave and hurried to cross the remaining few meters between them. He reached Irina just when she was about to go away and grabbed her wrist.

"I was looking for you all over the house." He said lowly into her ear, and Irina felt a warm shiver run through her body at his body being so close behind her. "I was already thinking you might have made another attempt to escape."

"'Another' attempt? There was no first attempt." Irina replied, trying to put coldness into her voice. She wriggled out of his grip and turned around. Jack smiled at her and sat down on the bench, gesturing to her to sit down next to him. For a moment Irina seemed to be determined to just go away, but she knew that it wouldn't get her anywhere, except for maybe a prison cell.

This was Jack's house, and she had to admit to herself that he definitely had an advantage here. So she sat down next to him, taking care that there was at least a half meter distance between them. Jack couldn't help but grin amused – yet, he kept silent.

"I just wanted to talk to you about tomorrow evening," Jack started and looked at the beautiful woman next to him. For a moment, he was stunned by the colorful reflection of the sun in her hair. He had never seen a woman with beautiful hair like she had. The color in the sunlight was something between blonde, brown and red. He forced himself to focus on what he had wanted to say. "I expect you to behave absolutely perfectly. You will neither flirt with any of the gentlemen who'll be there, nor will you try to get help from one of them. They have to believe that you are my wife, so you have to behave as if you are."

Irina's eyes sparkled in a challenge. "So do you expect me to tell them how much I love and adore you?"

"If you want to do so," Jack countered. "But I would simply be happy if you just did not cause any kind of trouble. Are we clear on that?"

"I don't see any reason why I should not flirt with a gentleman if I come to like one of them. After all, we won't be married for a long time, so there is no reason why I shouldn't continue watching out for an appropriate groom."

Jack grabbed her wrist and looked into her eyes with a dangerously threatening expression. "Who knows."

With an abrupt movement, she pulled her hand out of his grip, her chocolate brown eyes holding his in a silent fight, before she got up and went away in the most arrogant way a woman was capable of. Jack chuckled and jumped up to follow her. It didn't take him more than a few steps to catch up with her. Before she could protest, he grabbed her arm and dragged her behind some rosebushes where they were out of sight of the maids and servants.

Irina gasped in surprise when she felt the stonewall at her back and wanted to leave immediately, but Jack's arms imprisoned her and forced her to stay where she was.

"I hate you," Irina hissed angrily. "Let me go or..."

"Or?" Jack asked amused. "I'm sure you would rather not draw the attention of the maids towards us now in this compromising position."

"It's not compromising if I scream for help. Then your servants will finally see what a bastard you are."

"Aren't you missing an important fact?" Jack asked, and couldn't help tempting her further. He loved to tease her. Somehow, she woke devils inside him that he didn't even know were there. "I am your husband. The servants believe so, even if they know that you're a little stubborn and certainly not the most cooperative wife. They won't interfere no matter what happens. I could make love to you right here, and they would not care." His face lowered to hers slowly. "What do you think? Shall we consummate our marriage out here right now?" His hands brushed the skin of her arms, and she shivered, hating herself for her weakness – that she wasn't able to resist Jack's touch.

"No," she replied, her voice steady and strong, yet her body betrayed that she wished for the opposite. "I think we consummated enough. Why don't you visit your mistresses for a change?"

"Because I don't want any of my mistresses right now. I want you... I want to feel your skin on mine, your hands on my shoulders – not the ones of some other random woman." His words were sweet seductions, tender caresses to every woman's heart, and as much as Irina hated it, she felt bewitched. Still imprisoned in between him and the wall, she relaxed a little and leaned against the cool stone behind her, her eyes darkening and speaking the truth about how much she needed him.

"I'm sorry, but that is not going to happen. I made a mistake when I slept with you and won't repeat it."

"That's a breech of our agreement," Jack simply stated, still absolutely self-secure.

"Excuse me?"

"Well," Jack's fingers started to play with a strand of her silky hair. "Two days ago you told me, if I wanted to sleep with you, I had to let you out of the cell. I did..."

"Yes, but I also said no restrictions!" Irina countered, both of them obviously enjoying their discussion.

"There are no restrictions, just some conditions..." Jack's lips brushed the skin of her jawline in what could barely be called a touch, yet his hot breath tickled her skin, and she felt dizziness overwhelm her. Against her will, she had to grab his shoulders for support. Jack smiled inwardly and pushed himself into her body, pressing his leg between hers, into her center. For a moment, he cursed that she was wearing a long dress. That was the disadvantage about seducing a woman in the garden. There was almost no way to get rid of the dress.

Still, after all, he didn't want to seduce her, just teach her a lesson, so probably her dress was a blessing to remind him of what his plan was. If he didn't have the chance to go further, he would stick to his revenge.

His mouth brushed her full, erotic lips in the slightest breath of a touch, evading her every time she tried to deepen the kiss. He continued this sweet torture, determined to break her control and her will not to surrender to him.

His hands wandered over her body, caressing every spot he could reach. Even though she was wearing a dress, she felt as if his touches burned her alive.

"Do you know what I want to do to you?" Jack finally murmured into her ear, his tongue teasing the sensitive lobe. An aroused moan was the only answer he got. "I want to kiss you all over, everywhere. Do you know how much pleasure I could bring you by just kissing you?"

"Jack-" Her voice was weak and her tone something between begging – whether it was begging to continue or to stop he couldn't quite define - and whimpering.

"My lips will touch you here..." his hand ran down her chest and cupped her breast, his fingers teasing them through the fabric until he felt her nipples harden, then he ran his hands further down to her stomach. "... and here..."

Although it was only his hand touching her, she could feel his kisses in her fantasy. Her whole body seemed to be set on fire. She felt his lips at her cheek and leaned her head into him.

"Then I would slowly move my lips down..." He imitated the words he spoke with his hand, moving his fingers down her stomach and placing them between her legs at her center. Irina gasped for air in shock at the heat that struck her, almost made her fall, and grabbed his arm, determined to pull his hand away. Again her body betrayed her reason when she held him in place.

Jack started to rub her erotically, and she panted against his mouth, her whole body shivering in delight. She clutched his arm with her hand and instead of pulling it away, pressing it closer against her. Jack moaned, the sight of her being almost his undoing.

He had underestimated what only the sight of her could do to him. Lost to his touches, she tried to capture his lips with hers, but again, he evaded her mouth playfully. He wanted to show her that he was the one in control – even more, he wanted her to surrender.

Her breathing grew shallower, and she touched his cheek with her hand.

"Jack..." she whispered against his lips, finally willing to give in. "Please..."

"Please what?" he asked, his voice thick with desire.

"Stop torturing me..."

He looked into her eyes - those beautiful eyes that reflected nothing but desire in this moment - and finally his lips crashed on hers, claiming and exploring, almost ravishing them. Irina clasped his shoulder almost painfully, feeling a wonderful release building up deep inside her. She pressed her body closer against Jack's, concentrating on the movements of his hand and the fantasies he had created in her mind. When she was just about to feel as if a fire of passion would burn her in his arms, he stopped his erotic caresses and broke contact with her body suddenly.

He struggled to regain control over his breathing and his thoughts – his whole body actually.

"What...?" Irina panted and wanted to pull him back against her, but Jack stepped away from her and turned around.

"The things you do to me, Irina, will all come back to you sooner or later." He simply stated, then hurried to go away before she could notice that he wasn't as much under control of himself as he pretended to be.

The woman just stared after him, her conscious mind unable to believe what was happening. She almost screamed out in frustration, the sudden loss of Jack's warm embrace and his touches leaving her cold, shivering and somehow empty. She felt as if she were burning, and there was no one to put out the fire.

A sob escaped her throat when she tried to gather her strength and collected the fallen book from the ground with her trembling hands.

Oh wait, Jack, she cursed silently, you will wish you had never done this to me.

Tears of fury and unfulfilled passion were pooling in her eyes when she hurried back into the house. She was no longer in the mood to go out or be somewhere in the daylight. Her day had been ruined gloriously.


	16. Sleepless

**Part 15 – Sleepless**

_Around 10pm – Irina_

She felt like a tiger, imprisoned in its cage in one of the zoos she had once seen when she was smaller. There was a place she wanted to go, things she wanted – she needed – to do, yet she couldn't. Forced to remain imprisoned, she had to endure the torture.

Irina paced up and down in her room, trying to force away the unpleasant thoughts of what might be happening to her sister right now, only to find them replaced by erotic thoughts that tortured her even more.

"I hate him," she murmured again and again, and it was true. There had never been a human being she had despised more – and loved more at the same time. That fact bothered her the most. How could it be possible to dislike a man and at the same time wish for his company? There was obviously something wrong with her. Had she unconsciously hit her head in her sleep?

Irina sat down on her bed, unable to think about sleep – or to just lay down for that matter. She was in turmoil. Every nerve of her body pushed her to just go to Jack and seduce him, but her reason on the contrary forbid that action. He would not be the one who won the battle. If he thought that she couldn't control herself, he was wrong. She was quite capable of banning him from her mind.

For about ten seconds, she stared into the dancing flames of the fireplace in her room, trying to think of something unimportant - their house, Maggie – Jack – Gerard who had betrayed her. She needed to take revenge for that – Jack's sweet kisses.

"Oh come on..." she murmured to herself. She had never been one of the women who needed a man to feel complete, so why was she acting now as if all her reason had gone from her mind?

Since the incident in the garden, she had spent the rest of the day in her room and not allowed anybody to disturb her. She felt unbalanced, frustrated and angry, and there was nothing she could do about it.

She had even tried to imitate his touches to ease her discomfort – to no avail. She longed to lie in Jack's arms, to feel his skin against hers and his lips seducing her, just the way he had described.

When she realized that she was again thinking about Jack and their encounter in the afternoon, she got up with a sound that was a mixture of fury and frustration. She grabbed her candle and went to the door without making any sound. The sun had long gone down and the house had settled into silence, although some of the late servants were still working busily.

Carefully, Irina peeked out into the dark corridor. When she didn't see anybody, she left her room. The least thing she needed now was to run into Jack by accident. Maybe the cook could make a cup of tea for her. And she needed to eat something. That would surely ease her feeling of restlessness.

_10.30pm – Jack_

Perfect. The whole situation was just perfect. He was unable to do any kind of work, just thinking that she was sleeping in the same house he was in – not even hundred meters away from his study. All he had to do was go to her room and then do all the things with her he had fantasized about.

He had surely underestimated the effects she had on him. He dropped the book he was reading and leaned back. He needed a woman – no, he corrected silently, I need her. Damn, he was adult. Even more, he was a well-situated man in his mid-thirties, not a young, untamed boy anymore. He had learned to deal with women, and even more to control himself.

"Damn you, Irina," he murmured to himself and got up from his armchair. His pride forbade him to do what he wanted to do the most. Go to her room and make love to her until she had forgotten about fighting him or running away. Until all she could still think of was him and how he brought the sweetest pleasure to her body.

Abruptly he got up from his chair and put the book back in its place on the shelf. Those thoughts had to stop. He couldn't allow Irina to have such power over him. She was no better or worse than any other woman.

He left his study and went the small way from the room to the door where his coats were hanging. Irina was not the only woman who could fulfill his needs. There were plenty of others who would not start a fight with him, but be grateful for his company and fulfill his wishes before he even knew he had them.

"Milord, you want to go out so late?" James, his old butler hurried to help him with the coat and get the gloves. He was already wearing his nightgown, a candle in his hand. "Shall I wake August to prepare the horses?"

"No thank you. I will take my horse and take care of it myself. I'd appreciate if you kept my late leave discreetly to yourself." Jack said friendly and the old man nodded, then thought for a moment.

"And your wife? Shall I also keep it from her?"

"Yes..." Jack started, then suddenly stopped. He cocked his head slightly and the hint of a grin played around the corner of his mouth. "No," he corrected his earlier order. "No, tell her that I am gone to visit a friend. And tell her that I will most likely stay there overnight."

The butler's eyes grew wide and the cleared his throat. "With all due respect, milord, but I don't think that's information you should give to your lady. She will think that..."

"That I'm going to visit one of my mistresses – which is the case. I want her to think exactly that. As a payback for what she does to me..." Jack chuckled slightly. James shook his head and opened the door. He was not afraid of Irina, but he knew that she would definitely be more than outraged if she learned where Jack had gone. He was well aware that their marriage had not been perfect from the start – but what marriage was? Although he didn't know the circumstances under which the marriage had taken place, he assumed that it was comparable to one of those forced marriages. Only very few people today married from love, and Irina was obviously one of the women who did not accept to being married to a man she did not want.

"Sir, why don't you give your lady another chance? She's probably very lonely, now that she is gone from her family. Maybe she needs a friend in you, not an enemy."

Jack looked at the old man. He had already served his father as a stable hand and when Jack had been a boy, James had taught him riding and everything about horses. There were not many people in his household that Jack trusted, but James was definitely the one he trusted most. He could be sure that the old man did not gossip if Jack asked him not to do so. It was due to that deep respect that Jack accepted the fact that James told him his opinion so openly.

"James, I was her friend. The circumstances of our marriage were a little – well, unusual. But I never treated her disrespectfully, and she had more than one chance to behave a little more appropriately."

The old man growled to show Jack how much he disliked his behavior. "One thing is for sure. You are fortunately totally different from your father, but the one thing you've clearly inherited is his stubbornness."

Jack laughed and turned around. James opened the door for him and watched him leave. Silently he shook his head. A blind person could see that those two loved each other – although neither of them was willing to admit it.

When Jack had disappeared in the darkness, he closed the door and turned around to go back to bed.

_Around 10.40pm – Irina_

The air on the corridor was almost icy and Irina shivered, wishing she had taken a blanket from her room. At night, only the personal rooms and the kitchen were warmed by fires, the rest of the house stood in coldness to save wood for the winter.

When she turned left towards the stairs, she ran against a person and almost screamed in shock. At first she feared it might be Jack, but soon she was relieved to find only the old butler James, standing in his nightgown in front of her and looking at her confused.

"Milady?"

"I'm sorry James," she murmured. "I was just heading for the kitchen."

James looked at her and thought of the orders Jack had given him – tell Irina about where he was going. But when she was standing in front of him, smiling nicely, he couldn't do it. Damn it, he thought to himself. So, he would have to take the consequences if Jack found out, but he couldn't be so cruel to consciously hurt the woman.

"A lady shouldn't walk alone in a house on a dark night. Why didn't you ask for your maid... or me?"

"Thanks, I'm fine," Irina smiled. "I just needed to... I wanted to get out of my room anyway."

"Then I'll accompany you..."

"That's not necessary," Irina replied courteously. "Seriously, I'm..."

"You never know what ideas a drunken soldier or kitchen assistant might get." James replied and Irina shrugged her shoulders. She was actually glad to have found somebody to talk to. Hopefully, he would distract her from further thoughts of Jack.

"Do you want the cook to prepare some snacks for you?" James finally asked after a long pause.

"Oh, that would be nice, if it doesn't cause any problems, since it's late and...," Irina replied, trying to keep the candle burning, as they stepped down the stairs and entered a corridor where a soft breeze—most likely caused by the open windows—threatened to blow out the flame.

"No, the lord is often up at night to eat or drink a cup of tea. You two have much in common." The sentence was spoken as if in passing, but James watched Irina carefully from the corner of his eye.

"Maybe," she replied almost coldly.

"You are very lucky to be married to such a charming man. I've seen girls trying to draw his attention to them, but he never even looked at them."

"James, I don't mean this to sound disrespectful or insulting in any way, but could we change the topic?" Irina finally asked, not able to bear talking about Jack now. It was enough that she couldn't stop thinking about him…about how they had made love – how he had known everything she needed and fulfilled her deepest needs.

There had been other men she had slept with, but none of them had made her feel as Jack did. She remembered the first time she had given herself to a man. He had been a young noble from London. She had been nineteen, and it was shortly after her father had died. Katya had thought it about time for Irina to be introduced to society.

She could still remember his name – Marc. She had never known his last name – all she had known was that he was the son of a Duke. He had seduced her by sweet promises to marry her afterwards, but the next morning he had been gone.

Totally down on her nerves, she had confessed to her sister what had happened. Katya had sworn to take revenge for what he had done to Irina. Then she had left. Irina hadn't heard from her for three days, then Katya had returned and said, that the Duke had paid for his lies. Irina hadn't asked what had happened. She knew that sometimes it was better to not know what exactly her sister had done.

After that experience, men had merely been a nice pastime for her. Whenever she felt like she longed for a man, she went to the man with whom she was currently having an affair and left the next morning – without any questions or demands. But with Jack the whole situation suddenly seemed different.

He was totally unlike all her affairs – and sleeping with him was in a strange way more satisfying.

Determined, she banned those thoughts from her mind. Jack wasn't better or worse than other men. She could live without him, as she had done her whole life. There were other men who could fulfill her needs as good as he did.

When they came closer to the kitchen, Irina noticed that James hadn't spoken a word since her request to change subjects, and she was just thinking whether she might have insulted him, when she heard the voices from a maid and the staff in the kitchen.

"It's a shame. They just married. I swear, if my husband did something like that, he would curse the day he was born at..."

"Malory, you can't blame him! She's a witch. No man would want her company when there's a nice, willing girl waiting for him somewhere." A male voice replied.

"Oh please. No marriage is easy at the beginning. And he was not treating her very fair either, or would you be most cooperative when your husband locked you in the prison? He can't expect her to be cooperative when he behaves like a bastard." Irina recognized the voice of her maid Sarah.

"You just watch out to not drop the cup." Another, the first voice – that one of an elder woman - rasped. "It's not the task of a man to make the woman behave lovable. It's her task to make him respect her and enjoy her company. If you ask me, it's no wonder that he's gone to see his mistress tonight. I would have done the same if I was him."

Irina felt as if a knife had been stabbed into her heart. They're not talking about you, she tried to fool herself, but it failed. She knew exactly that the servants were talking about her and Jack, and she also understood that Jack had obviously gone to visit one of his cheap whores.

A slap into her face couldn't have been worse. It's your own fault, the tiny voice inside her whispered, but she forced it away. The servants continued giggling and gossiping about where Jack went until James pushed open the kitchen door.

"Do you not have enough work to do that you can pass the time chitchatting about things that are not your business?" he ranted angrily, and the servants jumped. "Get back to work!" His face was dark and although Mrs. Tribbiani was the superior of the household, every servant felt respect for old James since they knew he was something like Jack's confidant.

Concerned, James looked at Irina. "I'm sorry... sometimes they just can't shut their mouths."

"He's gone." Irina stated coolly, and James nodded slightly without saying anything. Irina laughed bitterly and felt the need to throw the candle she was still carrying against the wall. But she knew very well that showing such an outburst of feelings in front of servants was never a good idea, and so she just smiled.

"So, what kind of snacks do you have to offer?" she asked, pretending to not really be interested anymore. All her features represented dignity, and for a moment James truly admired the beautiful lady for her discipline and self-control. He had either expected her to suffer an infuriated attack or a breakdown in tears. Neither happened. He wondered for a moment whether Jack Bristow knew what an extraordinarily strong woman he had by his side.

The other servants didn't dare to look at Irina anymore who, by her appearance, showed such a dignity that for the first time they respected her even more than Mrs. Tribbiani. Within seconds, the kitchen came to life. The cook lit the fire in the oven anew to make some snacks and tea, the servants cleaned the table and Sarah hurried to get a blanket for Irina.

"Are you okay?" James asked worried, when Irina sat down at the wooden table which was actually meant for the servants. Irina had never known those differences. At home the family had always sat with Maggie and the one or two other servants they had in the kitchen for dinner.

"Why should I not be okay?" Irina asked. "He's a grown up. He can do whatever he wants. If he thinks that a cheap whore is a better company than I am, then he has to visit her."

Sarah looked worried at the old man, but didn't say anything. She had learned early to not comment on the behavior of her master or mistress.

"Thanks, Sarah..." Irina said and looked at the young girl. She noticed that her maid looked tired and smiled friendly. "Why don't you join me? Sit down and eat some snacks."

"Milady, I can't..." The girl started and obviously thought of words. "I mean... you can't sit with servants..."

"Let that be my problem. Now sit down and have some tea. James, could you get Sarah a cup of hot tea please? And one for yourself."

The old butler nodded and went to take some cups. This lady never failed to surprise him in her behavior... He just wondered what old Mrs. Tribbiani would say if she learned about tonight's kitchen-party with the lady of the household. He smiled to himself. Certainly, Mrs. Tribbiani would be more than infuriated – and that was what made him like Irina even more.

_0.30am – Jack_

He hurried to take the horse back into the stable. Since the staff was already sleeping, he had to take care of the animal himself. Jack didn't care. He loved to do so and was used to it. Whenever he came back late, his first task was to dry the horses fur and feed it, before he could go inside.

And tonight he needed some time alone. He had gone to the nearby city to visit Annabel, his mistress. She was a beautiful young woman, the most exclusive girl in the city. And she never failed to satisfy his needs. But tonight had been different. He had not really been in the mood. Correct that. He was very much in the mood, but it was Irina that invaded his thoughts…her face…her eyes…her scent.

He had paid his mistress, but when she had kissed him, he had felt totally turned off. It had not been the girl's fault. Jack sighed. Irina had bewitched him with her stubborn behavior and her rebellious spirit. He longed for her temper and fire in bed... not for some easy girl who spent the time only fulfilling his wishes.

What was wrong with him? When had there been this change in his behavior? All he longed for right now was to go to Irina's bedroom and make love to her until she forgot her name. He shook his head in silent disapproval of his own thoughts. No, he would not allow Irina to control him in that way.

When he had finished taking care of the horse, he left the stable through the servants' entry, which led him directly into the house. He was used to taking this way. At night he was just not willing to go out into the cool air again just to take the more appropriate front entry. The way through the servants' tract was faster.

When he approached the kitchen he could hear loud laughter and cheering. He raised his eyebrows and turned left to the kitchen. He didn't make any sound when he opened the door and watched, in disbelief, the scene that presented itself to him. One of his stable boys was standing in a free corner, juggling with five eggs. The rest of his servants, including James, were standing and sitting around the table, cheering and clapping, while they encouraged him with joyful and admiring comments.

Jack didn't believe his eyes when he found Irina amongst them, just getting herself a new cup of tea and handing her maid Sarah a second one.

"What is going on here?" he finally asked loudly, not hiding a certain sharpness from his voice. Within an instant, the happy people silenced and stared at him in shock. The poor juggling boy was so frightened, that he dropped all of the eggs and stared at Jack with wide eyes. Jack looked in disapproval at the broken eggs on the ground, and his face darkened.

"Jack!" Irina stepped forward, when he approached the stable boy.

"Irina, what do you think you're doing here?" he hissed, his eyes now turned on her, and Irina held his gaze.

"I was amusing myself."

"With the servants?"

Irina turned and smiled at the staff. "It's okay, you can go to bed." She looked at the unhappy boy who had dropped the eggs. He was fifteen at the most and obviously expected to be fired now. "You too. Go to sleep. I will clean up here." Irina said softly, and the boy turned and stormed out of the room in relief. When the servants had gone, Jack grabbed Irina's shoulders.

"Who do you think you are?" he asked infuriated. "You're questioning my authority by acting against my orders in front of the servants! I am sure they told you that they are not allowed to use the kitchen at night."

"I was using the kitchen!" Irina countered sharply. "And since my husband was obviously occupied elsewhere, I thought I could as well have some fun by myself."

"Define fun!" Jack's voice was loud, and he didn't even try to calm down anymore.

"Well, having a little party, drinking tea... after all more innocent than what you had." She looked him down. "Was it good at least? Did she satisfy you? I seriously hope so, because then you will luckily leave me alone for the next days."

"Irina..." he grabbed her sharply and locked their eyes. "Don't push it too far. You're just inches away from a prison cell!"

"I thought I already made clear that that was not a threat to me!" she yelled back, not caring about her tone anymore.

"Would you just act reasonably for a moment?"

"Would YOU just act reasonably? All we had was a little party."

"My wife has a party with her servants when her husband is out of the house. What do you think will that look like?"

"Jack, don't make it look dirty, it wasn't! My maid was there, so there's nothing wrong about..." she couldn't even finish her sentence.

"That is simply not the point here." Jack said dangerously calm. Irina's eyes blinked with fury, and Jack could literally see the flames in them.

"Bristow, don't you dare ever interrupt me again!" she hissed angrily. "The point here is that you were obviously left frustrated by your well-paid whore, and now you are angry that I was having a good time when you had obviously hoped that I'd be infuriated about your little escapade. Well, you were wrong. I don't care one little penny with whom you share your bed, since I want to remind you, our marriage is fake! I am not your wife, and so don't you dare talk to me in that tone again."

She had hit the point gloriously, he admitted angrily. Yes, he was angry that she obviously cared that little about him sharing another woman's bed. He was not only angry, it also hurt something inside him that he seemed to mean nothing to her.

"Wrong, Milady. You are my wife as long as I decide." He countered, and when he saw the sparks in Irina's eyes, he was seriously afraid that she would grab one of the knives in the kitchen and stab him.

"Well..." she finally said simply. "This is where YOU are wrong."

"Really?" He couldn't help but provoke her. "Today in the garden it looked totally different." Satisfied when he noticed, that she knew nothing to contradict, he folded his arms.

"Fine..." Irina finally started, trying to remember her fury instead of the arousing incident in the garden, then she saw the amused gleam in Jack's eyes and threw one of the eggs towards him. "You damned son of a..."

At the last second she remembered that some of the servants might still be listening, so she lowered her voice and approached Jack slowly, until their faces were only inches apart.

"I am tired of talking to you... and I will go to my bed now... alone... You know, being alone can be satisfying too. Even more, sometimes..."

With these words she turned around, satisfied by the gasp Jack took at the vivid mental image, and went out of the room in the most seductive way she was capable of. Jack stared after her, and for a moment he actually thought about just grabbing her and carrying her into his room.

With any other woman, he thought bitterly, that would have worked, but Irina would start an ado he'd never forget. Besides, he would not be the first one to give in. If she wanted him, she had to show him. After another deep breath, he followed her hastily.

"Irina!"

"What?" the woman asked at the stairs and turned around slightly annoyed. Jack couldn't help but grin at her tone. Luckily the dimness of the corridor hid his face from hers. It was just amazing how much she resembled him in her reactions.

"Oh, I just wanted to wish you a good night." He said friendly. "And apologize... Although my point was justified, my behavior inside there was not quite appropriate …especially not in front of servants."

"Um..." she started, totally stunned by his sudden friendliness. He actually seemed to mean what he said. "Well... accepted." For a moment, it seemed as if she was going to take a step towards him, but then she changed her mind. Staying where she was, she was unsure about what to do next. Jack's change of behavior, his almost charming friendliness, had totally put her off.

He took a few steps towards her, until their bodies were only inches apart. For a moment they just looked into each other's eyes, unable to turn their faces away. The longing to kiss the other was standing in the eyes of both of them, but the corridor was too dark for them to read each other's eyes.

When their hands brushed accidentally, they shivered at the sensation and longed for more than just an innocent touch like this.

"Good night..." Irina suddenly whispered, unable to keep her voice steady and sure. Feeling dizzy, she turned and almost fled up the stairs. Jack looked after her, considering the possibility of just forgetting about their stupid challenge. Then he decided against it. One of them would start all this again tomorrow at the latest, and Jack was sure Irina would use his surrender against him then.

No, this time he would not be the one to give in. And damned, he had lived a good amount of time without a woman. It was not like he needed one in his bed to be happy.

Determined to not let Irina haunt his dreams this night, he followed Irina up the stairs to go to his own bedroom.


	17. Amusements

**Part 16 – Amusements**

_Next evening – The Party_

Irina let herself sink onto the couch in one of the smaller rooms connected to the ballroom which were meant to give the dancers some privacy and a room to rest and escape the mass of people.

Although only very few guests had arrived by now, she already felt annoyed by this play they were performing. She had to play the loving wife. Even worse, she had to hold all those annoying, boring conversations she had always spent her time to avoid.

Her mood was bad to say the least. Jack had paraded her from one guest to another, obviously enjoying her resistance.

Irina leaned her head back and stared at the beautifully decorated ceiling, then out of the window into the dark night. In every single rest room there was a door into the garden. She was just playing with the thought of escaping into the garden, when the curtain to her parlor was pulled back carefully.

"Irina?" Jack peeked inside and, when he saw her, came in.

"What?" Irina snapped annoyed and jumped up. Jack raised his eyebrows in amusement.

"Why the aggressive tone?" he teased, and Irina cocked her head, her eyes signifying that she was ready to kill him.

"Why the tone? Because I hate this!"

"What?"

"The party, those people out there who think we're married... you!" She turned and went to the window, leaning her forehead against the cool glass. "It's only been half an hour, and I could already kill them all. So what do you want? Skip the part where you annoy or tease me, and just get straight to the point!"

Jack chuckled and shook his head. "Well, actually I was simply worried, because you had disappeared. You would not be the first woman who loses consciousness in one of those tight corsets due to being unable to breathe." He was serious, and Irina turned in surprise.

"Oh... well, I'm not wearing one... otherwise, I probably would have already killed someone." She murmured. Jack just stared at her, then at her slender waist.

"You're not..." he started, unable to believe her words.

"No, as Katya always says…If you keep your body in shape and don't eat too much you do not have to wear supports to shape your body." Of course, she had noticed his stare and turned again to hide her amused smile. "So, was there something else?"

"No. No... except that you should come out again soon." He looked again at her perfectly shaped body, then shook his head and left before the sight of her got him into trouble again.

Irina watched him leave through the curtains and sighed. After she had straightened out her dress, she followed her husband outside into the ballroom. Immediately, she was surrounded by two ladies he hadn't met before.

"Lady Bristow, what a delightful pleasure to finally meet you! You husband told us you were a beauty, but he was clearly understating your appearance," a younger woman with a high voice said. Irina gave her a forced smile when she continued chattering about the present people and whom she liked – or disliked. "Tell me, Milady, I have never before heard of your family. Are you one of the fallen nobles?"

"Not quite." Irina replied, not even bothering to hide the annoyed tone from her voice. "We were just staying out of public."

"Excuse me," the other, taller woman now asked. She seemed to be more reasonable and – as well as Irina – annoyed by the younger woman. "Are you related to Lady Katya Derevko?"

"Yes," Irina smiled at her surprised. "She is my sister."

"Oh my god... then it's true! Don't you remember? We met in London some years ago. Your sister told me it was your first season! We used to guess which men would go for which women!"

Irina's face lightened up at this information. "Yes, I remember... wait... Lady Lynne, right?"

"Yes! I was so disappointed when you and your sister left so suddenly... how long has it been now?"

"Ten years." Irina said. She remembered that year – the experiences in London had changed her attitude towards men.

"I remember, you had a crush for the Duke." Lynne laughed. "I was so sorry when I heard about his riding accident. Poor man... unable to walk for the rest of his life. But I guess for you it was luck. Tell me, how did you and Lord Bristow get to know each other?"

"Oh... um..." Irina smiled friendly from one woman to the other. "It was a coincidence... in the woods."

"How romantic..." Lynne swooned, but the younger woman shook her head.

"In the woods? I would have pictured it was at a glorious party – some event of the queen."

Before Irina could answer, Jack stepped to them. "Excuse me, ladies, may I just steal my wife for a moment?"

He pulled Irina away from the women into a corner, ignoring her slight resistance.

"What is it?" she finally hissed when the other guests couldn't hear them anymore.

"I just wanted to remind you of our deal."

"What, are you afraid that I might ask one of them for help, since my husband is holding me prisoner in this house? Don't worry, as you have said, nobody would believe me anyway," she replied sarcastically, and Jack pulled her closer to bring his lips to her ear, which looked like a tender gesture for outsiders.

"Irina, you don't know the meaning of being held prisoner yet. We can easily change that."

"Another one of those threats. Seriously, this is getting boring." With these words, she broke free, turned and went away. Jack looked after her, shaking his head slightly, before his attention was pulled back to some of his friends from court.

As time went by, more and more visitors came to attend the party. Irina was surprised by the number of court members who were present, but she played her role as best as she could. Despite the fact that she wasn't afraid of Jack's threats, she was not in the mood to fight with him again tonight.

When the dancing started, she absolved the first dance with Jack – but only because that she knew she was expected to do so.

"Why are you keeping such a formal distance?" he eventually teased her when the other couples had also started dancing and turned their attention away from them. He pulled Irina closer.

"Because I might step on your foot otherwise – 'accidentally' of course," she replied, bringing back the distance. Jack chuckled, then his face became serious.

"Have I already told you how breathtakingly beautiful you're looking tonight?" He meant what he said, and Irina had not been prepared for that compliment. She just stared at him, forgetting about all manners. "I like your dress... it suits you..." he continued.

"Excuse me," Irina finally managed to say. "Why are you being so nice?"

"Because I'm trying to make this evening at least a little nice for both of us," he replied with an amused smile, his voice low, so that only she could hear. "Besides, I have never hidden how absolutely beautiful and attractive I think you are. Of course, the last times I showed it to you in a more passionate way."

The music stopped – just in the right moment, as Irina found. She broke free from Jack and turned. If he didn't know better, he would have said Irina was almost fleeing from him.

That was indeed the case. Irina felt dizzy and unable to stand on her legs. She disappeared in a free room and let herself sink to the couch. Her heart was racing, and she had the feeling of losing consciousness every moment. Why did Jack's words mean so much to her? Why did they seem to her as if they were the most beautiful words she had ever heard?

Her thoughts were soon torn away from Jack when James came to her, his face pale.

"Madam we have... um... kind of a situation, I think," he stopped, obviously thinking about how to form the words best.

"What is it?" Irina finally asked impatiently when the old man stuttered incoherently, unable to find words.

"Well... um..." They could hear yells from the service tract, and Irina didn't ask more questions. She hurried to follow James before any of the guests noticed the ado. She knew misbehavior from the servant's part was always a subject to gossip about and would put a bad light to the owner of the household.

"What is going on here?" Irina yelled angrily when she went through the service entry into the corridor to the kitchen and food storage room. Mrs. Tribbiani was standing in the middle of the corridor, holding a crying Sarah and a frightened boy. Irina witnessed her slapping the boy and hurried to interfere. "Hey!"

Her yell was too loud not to be overheard and even Mrs. Tribbiani froze for a moment. When she saw Irina she raised her eyebrows unwillingly.

"Aren't you supposed to play a role in there?" she asked sharply, and Irina raised her chin, her eyes narrowing in upcoming aggression at the tone of the housekeeper. "Did you bring her here?" Mrs. Tribbiani snapped at James.

"What happened?" Irina repeated her question more sharply now and looked at her young maid, whose eyes were filled with tears.

"I'm sorry Milady!" she stammered over and over again, obviously scared to death. Her cheek was red, and it didn't take Irina much of an effort to guess that the housekeeper had beaten her as well.

"Let go of them," she ordered the elder women, who scoffed ironically.

"Go back to the ball where you belong, otherwise I'll talk a word with Mr. Bristow. I'm sure he won't be amused if he finds that his 'wife'," the way she pronounced the word "wife" made it clear that she knew the whole story, "interferes with the business of his servants. You have nothing to do with it, so if you do not want any trouble, leave!"

Irina folded her arms. James took a few steps back, preparing to go for Jack if the situation got out of control.

"Mrs. Tribbiani," Irina started dangerously quiet. "I do not think that you fully understand..."

"Missy, I don't think you understand. As long as you're in this house, I'm the head of this household, and as far as I know, your marriage is nothing more than a means to an end. That makes you an employee of Jack Bristow, just as all the other servants are. Now move your ass back into that ballroom and do what you're here to do."

Irina raged inside. She grabbed the sleeves of the woman and pulled her closer towards her. "As long as I am the wife of Lord Bristow – whether that's fake or not shouldn't be your concern – you are working for me, not the other way around. So if I tell you to let go of my personal maid, this is what you will do – no discussion and no objections. If you have a problem with that, feel free to talk to my husband and complain." For a moment their eyes fought a silent battle, then Mrs. Tribbiani pushed Sarah away from her and went passed Irina.

"Be sure, Missy, I will do exactly that."

Irina looked after her. James shot her an admiring look, but Irina didn't even notice. She bent down to help Sarah up to her knees. The girl was still sobbing and shielding her face, obviously expecting more beats. But Irina pulled her hand away from her face and looked into her eyes.

"What happened?" she asked softly. When the girl didn't answer, she smoothed some hair out of her face. "Did you steal? You can tell me, I promise, I won't hurt you."

"No..." the girl burst out panicked. "I did not steal! I never stole."

Irina looked helplessly at James, and the butler came closer.

"A cook found them in the stable in a very compromising position..." he explained softly, and Sarah sobbed again. Irina's eyes widened.

"That's what this whole scene was all about?" she asked with disbelief and looked at Sarah, then at the boy, who stood frightened at the other wall. "Come here... what's your name?"

"August, Milady." He bowed, and Sarah burst out into tears again.

"I love him! We want to marry... please don't send him away... please!"

Irina calmed her down softly. "Shh, nobody is being sent away... go to your rooms to calm down and wash your faces."

"Um, Madam..." James started, but Irina looked up.

"You don't seriously want to tell me that Jack is going to punish them for doing what all lovers do!" she said.

"Mrs. Tribbiani has some rules established in the household, and Lord Bristow never interferes. He wants her to do her job, and I think it might cause trouble if you..."

"Sarah is my personal maid. It is custom that a maid's mistress is the lady she is serving. That lady stands above all the other higher servants in the household. If Mr. Bristow has a problem with that, he can talk to me about it... or yell at me for that matter." She replied harshly. "And you two..." she added to Sarah and August. "...wash your faces, but be careful to not run into Mrs. Tribbiani. We will talk about the incident tomorrow." She touched Sarah's cheek in a reassuring gesture and nodded at August, then turned to go back into the ballroom.

After she had went through the curtains that separated the corridor from the room, she scanned the room. Most of the couples were dancing on the floor – obviously enjoying the evening.

Irina had never been the hostess for a ball like this herself, still her father had taught her and her sisters how to behave perfectly on an occasion like this.

Suddenly, her eyes fell on Jack who was dancing with a young, blonde woman on the floor, obviously enjoying her company. Irina's eyes narrowed, and she folded her arms when she observed the younger lady. It was obvious that she was throwing herself at Jack – who was not at all looking as if he felt bothered.

Irina growled to herself, her mood immediately ruined – although she didn't quite understand why.

Well, she thought, if he can flirt and have fun, so can I. So she went to a man who was looking a little younger than she was.

"Are you enjoying the party?" she asked, looking him intently into the eyes.

"Yes, very much, thank you..." he smiled, turning slightly towards her. They continued to chatter about this and that – unimportant things that mainly intended on learning whether the other person was willing to have a conversation. Finally, the man held his hand out to Irina. "Would you like to dance with me?"

She smiled brightly and took his hand. "I'd love to do so..."

They went onto the floor, then turned towards each other. Formally, they started to dance to the music, but soon their distance faded, and the conversation became lighter.

"Your husband can be proud to have such a delightfully beautiful and charming woman by his side." The man, who had presented himself to Irina as Lord Dunsworth, murmured, staring into her eyes intently. Irina smiled slightly.

"Thank you very much..."

She caught glimpse of Jack watching her. Obviously, he had enough of the younger blonde girl and was standing at the side now. His glance towards her showed that he was close to making a scene right here. Irina returned his look challengingly and brought her body a few inches closer to that of her dance partner.

Jack smiled at her coldly, then at the woman who came towards him. They seemed to know each other – Irina could tell that from the intimate way they greeted each other. She observed Jack whispering something into the woman's ear – which was followed by a giggling of her.

Cheap whore, Irina thought furiously.

"...why you should definitely attend the ball next month in London. Wouldn't you like that?"

Pause... only then Irina realized that her dance partner had asked her a question – and obviously been talking to her the whole time.

"Um..." she said, looking back at the man. "I... um... sure." Hopefully she hadn't agreed to an important thing.

"Great, then I will have your name put on the list. I know some of the servants pretty well..."

Irina's attention was again pulled away to the still chattering couple in the corner of the room. She felt sick when she observed their little conversation. She refused to admit to herself that she was jealous – no, that was just not the case! The point was, that Jack was flirting with a woman and didn't even look at his 'wife'.

Finally she loosened from Lord Dunsworth and gave him a weak smile.

"Milord, would you excuse me please?" She bowed slightly, then went – probably a little too quickly to appear relaxed – to the corner where Jack stood.

"Honey," she greeted him, smiling at the younger woman – yet the smile didn't quite reach her eyes. Possessively, she laid her arm around Jack's waist. The girl gave Irina a forced smile, and then looked at Jack.

"I guess... I will still see you later then?"

"Definitely," he promised with a smile. Irina stared at him in disbelief and when the girl was out of reach, she loosened from him, her eyes sparkling with rage.

"Arranging for a little date tonight?" she hissed, and Jack looked at her challengingly.

"What about Lord Dunsworth? Looking for a little adventure?" he countered, and Irina scoffed ironically, but didn't say anything.

"You knew the rule." Jack said. "No flirting. It's absolutely inappropriate for you to go for another man – especially so soon after our marriage."

"Ah, now I see. You get to have fun, but I am not allowed to?" Irina snapped and laughed bitterly. "But, you know, there are dozens of men here who would carry me on their hands just for one night."

"Yeah, I bet there are! But here are also dozens of women who would give their whole possession away for just one night," he hissed, "and since my wife isn't very cooperative concerning sleeping arrangements, you can't blame me for searching elsewhere."

"Yeah, and since my husband is a stupid bastard, you can't blame me for flirting with others." She countered and turned to leave, but Jack grabbed her wrist and bent to her ear.

"I'm warning you. Don't take it too far. I am accepting your little flirtations only because I have to admit I didn't show my best manners during these last days. But there is a borderline you should rather not cross." His tone was dangerous, but Irina broke free and went away without even looking one more time at him.

If he thought she felt threatened now, he was wrong. On the contrary – she was furious that he was still thinking he could give her orders of any kind. She would show him how far she would go...

Jack followed Irina with his eyes and sighed. He was sure their little war for tonight had only begun. Just when he was about to follow her and ease the situation a little, a man went towards him.

"Jack!"

The addressed turned his head and his face lightened up. "Arvin! When was the last time that we met?"

"It was last season in London I think. How have you been? I mean, besides getting married to an attractive woman?" The gray-haired gentleman was a little older than Jack, but that had never bothered him. Jack knew him as his confidant at court. The two men had known each other since Jack had been a boy. Arvin had already served in the army.

"Great, thank you! I heard you were hurt in the last battle against rebels?"

"Yes, but it was nothing bad – after all we managed to beat them. The southern coastline is clean now... I heard you had a failure a few weeks ago with your setup. The contact you were supposed to meet tricked you?" Arvin Sloane took a sip of wine from his glass, and Jack tilted his head slightly.

"Well, kind of, yes. But we already have a new trace. Every good soldier has to live with failures from time to time..."

"How true..." Sloane replied and smiled. If Jack had looked at him, he had seen that the man's smile didn't reach his eyes, but his attention was drawn back to the other corner of the room, where Irina was chitchatting with a woman he knew as Lady Lynne. Jack knew her husband from court - Lord Victor Greenville, a very honorable man. "Your wife seems to be a very tempered woman – how did you meet her?"

"Coincidence." Jack replied evasively, and Sloane smiled.

"I've heard she is the daughter of Sergeji Derevko?"

Now he had Jack's full attention. "Really? Do you know her father?"

"I did... once. Her father is dead. He was killed some years ago in a revolt. As far as I know, he was involved with rebels somehow."

Jack looked at his friend thoughtfully, "Sergeji Derevko... that name sounds familiar to me somehow..."

"Maybe you heard of it back then. It must have been ten or eleven years ago. If you want, I can do a little research for you," Arvin took another sip of his wine and smiled friendly.

"I already have some people working for me, but if you find out something, I'd be really grateful. Nobody has been able able to find something so far... I am actually starting to wonder what the secret is that the name of this family is kept so close." Jack murmured, and watched his wife again. "Arvin, would you excuse me now? We'll surely talk later, but I have to speak with some other people first."

"Of course," the man replied courteously. Jack went away, and so he missed how the smile faded away from Sloane's face and he looked after Jack coldly. He hadn't expected him to do research about Irina's family. Well, maybe they could use that little detail to their advantage. He would have to take care of this. For now he wanted to meet Irina Derevko himself – after all he had heard so much about her...


	18. Winners or Losers?

**Part 17 – Winners or Losers?**

"Milady, allow me to compliment your appearance tonight? If you weren't already married I would surely beg the permission to court you..."

Irina couldn't help but blush slightly, when the man in front of her took her hand and placed a kiss on it – probably a little longer than what would have been appropriate. His statement alone was scandalous and he surely knew that such a revelation was an absolute taboo to be made to a married woman.

But considering the fact that her marriage was fake and in less than two months she would be a single woman again, she decided that it was not so bad.

"Thank you Milord," she replied and smiled warmly. "And such a charming man would surely have my permission."

Arvin Sloane smiled and when he looked up into her warm chocolate-brown eyes, he had to admit to himself silently, that her beauty was even more outstanding than he had heard. He didn't doubt that a woman like her could seduce every man. No wonder that Jack Bristow had fallen for her.

"But I have heard that you are happily married, so I guess there is no chance for me to get the possibility to court you any time soon..."

"Well..." Irina started, wanting to tell him that her husband would surely despise if he did, when she caught glimpse of Jack flirting with the brunette woman from earlier. They were leisurely strolling towards one of the rooms. Rage started to build up inside her – rage that finally unloaded itself in defiance. "...my husband and I are not that close. So I am still interested in acquaintances..."

She knew that her behavior was scandalous, but trusted on the gentleman's discretion.

"You are surely a surprise for a man, Milady," he replied, his eyes gleaming.

"Lord Sloane, I am sure there are many ladies at court who give their attention to other persons than her husband."

"There are..." he replied, "but there's surely none of them as beautiful as you are. Would you like to accompany me to a .. um... less occupied place?"

"I would love to do so," Irina replied courageously, determined to pay Jack a lesson. Besides, she was getting really frustrated and after days of being so close to an attractive man who woke the wildest fantasies inside her, she needed a little distraction. Surely this lord was not one of the most attractive men – but still, she could close her eyes and imagine it was Jack. That had two advantages: First of all, she would be a little less aggressive and secondly she could enrage Jack and show him that he had no power over her.

Well, he actually had power over her, but there was no need for him to know that.

Irina turned and went towards the door which led out into the corridor and to their private chambers. Sloane looked around, then turned to follow her. No matter what the plan was – every reasonable man would be a fool to say no if a beautiful woman like Irina Derevko offered herself to him.

They were just leaving the room when Jack came out through the curtains into the hall, watching them leave in disbelief. With a dangerous gleam in his eyes, he started to follow them. He was raging with fury. Irina had gone a step too far...

Neither Lord Sloane nor Irina noticed that they were being followed by Jack. Leisurely, they strolled through the corridor and up the stairs, while Arvin admired the beautiful and expensive paintings on the wall. Irina went next to him, her courage finally fading a little. This man was so totally different from Jack, and she was no longer sure that her imagination would be enough to fool her body.

"We can go in here," she finally said. "It's my personal restroom, and nobody will disturb us."

She entered the room and lit a candle at the wall. Although there was no fire in the fireplace, the remains of the glow heated the room a little.

When she was finished lighting the candles, Irina turned around a little nervous.

"Well..." she started, and Arvin smiled at her.

"You are the most astounding woman I have ever met," he murmured and walked around her. Irina suddenly had the feeling of being the prey, who didn't know yet that she was hunted. A feeling she didn't like at all.

She started slightly when she suddenly felt his hands on her naked shoulders. Abruptly she turned and brought a little distance between them.

"I... um... do you want to drink something?"

"I did not come here to drink... and neither did you I think," he uttered seductively, urging her against the wall.

"Sorry," she murmured. "I am just a little nervous... usually I don't do things like this..."

"You'll see, you are going to like it." Then his lips fell onto her neck and the soft skin of her shoulders. Irina sighed and closed her eyes, trying to concentrate on the touches which once used to arouse her. Her mind was distracted – all she could think of was Jack in the arms of that brunette woman. Maybe he was kissing her right now...

And even if so – who cares, she tried to convince herself. You can have fun... you had fun before you met him.

Determined to enjoy the adventure she was going to have, she buried her hands in Arvin's hair and laid her head back. His hands ran up her body and finally laid over her breast while his teeth bit her earlobe. A deep moan escaped his throat.

Irina opened her eyes. This was weird... she wanted to think about Jack – to fantasize about him, but this man was so different. His touches were the opposite of tender. All his actions aimed on getting satisfied as soon as possible and could almost be called ruthless. She tried to enjoy the erotic caresses, but failed to do so.

When Arvin finally wanted to claim her mouth, Irina turned her head aside and brought a little distance between them with her hands.

"Wait," she managed to murmur. Her body was tensed and the uneasiness she felt, slowly started to turn into awkwardness. She wanted to run away – which was inappropriate. She had to interrupt this at least elegantly. "Maybe we didn't think the whole thing through."

"Thinking? I do not think about things like this," Arvin murmured throatily and wanted to push back into her, but Irina evaded his touch.

"I mean, we probably shouldn't..."

"Is it about your husband? That's not a problem. He will not learn anything about the things we will do in here – or in the future elsewhere." His thumb stroked her lip. "Believe me, my beautiful, I can bring you the sweetest pleasures..."

"I'm sorry..." she murmured and wanted to add something, when a cold voice from the door could be heard.

"I guess I am not supposed to interrupt here, am I?"

Arvin spun around, and Irina looked in shock at the appearance of her husband in the dim light of the candle. Arvin cleared his throat.

"Jack, I was... it's not what it looks like..."

"Get out of here," Jack said menacingly and watched Arvin leave hurriedly. Then he turned his attention back on Irina, missing that Arvin stopped in the doorframe and looked back – a hint of triumph on his face.

Irina felt the urge to just flee out of the window, but she knew that Jack would have caught her before she had even reached it.

You tempted him too far, the voice inside her screamed in panic, and she pressed against the wall behind her as Jack came closer with every step.

"I think I remember that we had a conversation earlier," he started, "and I also remember talking to you about behaving appropriately." His voice was totally calm – a fact that scared Irina even more. For the first time, she did not feel the need to contradict him – or enrage him.

"Jack, I'm sorry," she started and for the first time she meant it. What had she been thinking to do something that stupid?

"Yes, sure you are," he nodded. "I'm just curious – what if I had come some minutes later? What would I have seen then?"

"Jack, I swear..."

"Irina, I know we are only fake-married... at least so far. But I can not tell you how much it bothers me that you aim on ruining my reputation." He had reached her now. Irina started to escape his grip, but he held her harshly and slammed her back against the wall.

"I was going to end it... I swear to you, I didn't want to go through with it," she vowed and laid her hands to his chest, mainly to calm him down, but also to be prepared to defend herself.

Yes, he had indeed noticed the change in her behavior. He had stood in the dark doorframe almost since the beginning. But he wondered why she had so suddenly changed her mind – obviously she had some kind of conscience, which had told her she was going too far.

Still, he was infuriated that she had been kissed by that man – his so-called friend. He looked at the skin of her neck and shoulders and touched her with his hand. Only the thought of Arvin touching Irina made him want to go after him and kill him.

But for now he would clarify the situation with Irina. He took her hands away from his chest and pinned them against the wall.

"Don't try to manipulate me again, that won't work anymore. I warned you not to break the rules tonight, didn't I?" He said. "What do you think a husband should do if he finds his wife committing adultery?"

He could see that uncertainty and a hint of panic rose in her. For a moment, all her walls were down and all she could do was to stare at him. Jack's eyes reflected raging fury, and she wasn't sure what he would do next. Desperately, she tried to wriggle her wrists out of his grip, which caused him to tighten his hold on her almost painfully.

"Why did you do it?" he asked and suddenly disappointment and something she couldn't quite define took place of his anger.

"I... I wanted to..." she started, but cut herself off. She wanted to apologize, but how could she possibly form the words so he would believe her?

All of a sudden, he let go of her and turned around. "From now on you will not be allowed to leave your room. You will remain in your chambers – the servants and your maid will take care of the necessary things you need, but they will not be allowed to talk to you. Take it as a solitary confinement. As soon as your sister returns, you will be free to go wherever you want to, as long as you stay away from me or my property."

His words were not worse than a hit in the face would have been. Silent shock and terror paralyzed her mind. He couldn't actually mean to lock her up without any access to the world for the next three months – and forbid her to ever see him again. She didn't understand why all of a sudden this seemed to be the worst punishment, and was sure that his words were only an empty threat – they had to be! When Jack went to the door, pulling out the key from inside, Irina ran to hold him back.

"Jack, please... don't do that!" She didn't even pretend anymore that she was under control. She felt really scared. She had been able to stand some days of prison because of her stubbornness – and because it had been some kind of a challenge between her and Jack. But now he was really angry with her, and his attitude made it clear that he would show no mercy. When he didn't even react to her plea, she started to beat his back in desperation.

"You can't just lock me in here for the next three months. What I did was not worse than what you did with your whore in the city! Do you know how embarrassing it is for a woman to be the topic of gossip for all the servants?"

"I warned you not to cross a certain line," Jack simply stated and turned around again, grabbing her wrists to stop her from beating him. Irina failed to stop her body from trembling.

"My sister will never forgive you if you hurt me. She's going to kill you. It's a breech of agreements," she warned, when she noticed the threatening expression on his face.

He didn't miss that she attempted desperately to sound self-secure and strong.

"Irina, wouldn't you call fooling around with my best friend a breech of agreements as well?" Jack countered calmly.

Irina opened her mouth to justify her action and reproach Jack for his little flirts with the other women, but he didn't even give her a chance to do so. "Your sister and I have an agreement, and I never demanded anything else of you than that you play your part. But you are obviously unable to stick to the easiest rules or promises."

Irina scoffed and folded her arms. "I see. But that whore you paid two nights ago to sleep with you is totally within the rules? Of course, because every loving husband has a whore in the city!"

"Irina, I did not sleep with that woman the other night!" Jack snapped back at her, tired of listening to her accusations, and when he advanced a few inches towards her, Irina almost stumbled over the folds of her dress when stepping back. His revelation totally put her off.

"You did not..."

"No," he repeated impatiently. "Although considering what happened here tonight, I probably should have."

For a moment, Irina was so confused that she didn't react fast enough when Jack pulled her abruptly against him, his lips merging with hers. Nothing about this kiss was tender – it was a rough way of making clear that she belonged to him.

Irina was shocked by his almost brutal exploration and tried to push him away half-heartedly. Only when her resistance subsided, did his kiss become more sensual and seductive. Finally, she managed to free herself from him and brought a few meters distance and a desk between them.

"How dare you?" she snapped breathlessly. Jack raised his eyebrows, while he stepped towards her.

"I am your husband…"

"No, you are not," Irina countered and held on to the table. His kiss had aroused her and her head was spinning.

Jack walked slowly around the table, until he was standing behind her.

"What are you doing?" Irina's voice was trembling when she felt Jack opening her dress.

"Claiming what's mine," he replied, and she closed her eyes when his lips started to caress her neck, immediately finding the sensitive spot that made her moan. Then suddenly, she freed herself again and folded her arms.

"Although we may be married in the eyes of the law, you have no right to claim anything," she said sharply, and Jack smiled inwardly.

"Irina, you keep saying that our marriage is illegitimate, but thinking about it, I don't see why. The ceremony has been held by a priest, and the marriage was consummated – more than once! So after every law, this marriage is valid."

When Jack advanced towards her, Irina didn't move but stared at him dangerously. "You're the most rude and unmannered man I've ever met. You treat me like a prisoner. You visit your mistress, flirt with numerous young women down there, and then you expect me to fall thankfully into your arms?" She snorted and turned her back to him – a sign that she didn't want to talk to him anymore. "I really don't wonder about you still being a bachelor when that is the usual way you treat women."

Jack smiled and continued to open her dress. "First of all, I treated you like a prisoner for some good reasons. Secondly, I did not sleep with my mistress. If my wife refuses to fulfill her duties though, she must not wonder if I go elsewhere. And thirdly, I didn't flirt more than you did – actually you were the one who went too far." He watched her dress slide down to the ground, then looked at her underwear. His hands ran over her naked arms and shoulders. "The thought of him touching you - doing the things to you that I did – makes me so angry." Jack murmured and then turned her around harshly to force her to look at him.

She pushed him away. "Do you think the thought of you being with those women you were so intimate with tonight is different? Did you think I wouldn't notice? Who was she? Another one of your escapades?" She tried to pushed at him in fury, but Jack managed to catch her wrist.

"If you are talking about that blonde girl, Lady Therese, she is a distant cousin of mine whose husband died two moths ago. I took care of the formalities to secure the property for her! Although I noticed that she was trying to involve me in flirtations, I was never seriously interested." Jack explained and then pulled her into another, more tender kiss.

"Let me go." Irina demanded weakly and wanted to collect her dress from the ground. Before she even knew what was happening, Jack suddenly lifted her up and carried her through the smaller door into her bedroom, where he dropped her on her bed.

When they were both lying on the soft mattress, he started to explore her skin, his body half-covering hers.

"Jack… stop it." Irina closed her eyes weakly, determined to make clear that she was not that easy. She had never been easy – until now. Jack had changed her in a way she didn't understand. She was just unable to resist his touch.

When he marked her skin, she sighed. His lips ran over her cleavage, along the lines of her under dress. Her hands were busy opening the buttons of his shirt and pushing the material down to reveal his skin. Then suddenly she pushed at him, trying to get away. "We can't do this. There are guests waiting."

He looked up and played with a strand of her hair. "They will not miss us for the next few hours. And if they do, they will think that we retired to be alone..."

His tongue teased her, playing at the corner of her mouth, until her lips parted in a silent invitation. Immediately he claimed her mouth with his, swallowing her deep moan. Her hand ran through his hair while she pushed the material of his clothes away from his shoulders, then pushed him away with all her force and rolled to her side to leave the bed.

Before she could do so, Jack had grabbed her and pinned her to the bed.

"What are you doing?" His voice was a mixture of desire and anger.

"You are not going to win this game, Bristow. I know what you are planning. You think you can just frustrate me and I will fall happily into your arms. But you are wrong! I am not that easy!"

Jack chuckled. "No, you're definitely the contrary of easy."

"Let go of me!"

"I won't. You wanted to cheat on me… you were willing to make love with my best friend." He murmured close to her lips. "I really want to just lock you in that cell again."

"Why don't you?" Irina snapped back.

"Because we are married and that allows me to do way more pleasurable things to you." His lips brushed the corner of her mouth, his tongue flicking out and teasing her. "Or would you rather I take you back into that other room and make love to you against the wall – like you were about to do with him?"

From his tone, Irina could hear that he wasn't angry anymore, but in a playful mood now. She turned her head slightly and bit his lower lip challengingly. He groaned and claimed her lips in an almost bruising kiss. Determined to make her fall, he took her challenge.

He let go of her hands, careful at first to be prepared if she started an attack again. But instead she wrapped her arms around his body, pulling him closer against her.

Their lips dueled a battle for control and silenced moans filled the room. Neither of them was willing to give in, and finally Irina broke the kiss and trailed her lips along his cheek to his ear, where she started to suck at his earlobe until she was contented by his aroused moan against her neck.

Before he knew what was happening, she had flipped them over and straddled his hips. Slowly her hands ran over his well-muscled chest while she held his intense gaze. A seductive gleam in her eyes, she bent forward, her chestnut locks falling down and stroking his skin. She touched his lips in a short kiss, immediately evading when he tried to deepen it.

"Feeling a little in the mood for torture tonight?" Jack murmured throatily, while his hands ran up the silky skin of her legs. Irina chuckled against his lips while she nibbled at his lower lip.

"Maybe..." she replied, a promising tone in her voice. "You seem to wake demons inside me..."

"Good..." he replied and his hands ran up her back and then pulled her abruptly down into a deep open-mouth kiss. She didn't allow him to entice her and soon moved her lips down his chin and covered his throat with hot caresses. He laid his head back and moaned. Irina smiled against his skin when she moved her lips further down. Then finally she sat back up and ran her hands over his thorax. Fascinated, she explored every inch of his skin with her fingers, moving them over his nipples, playing with the hair on his chest and then trailing them down his arms.

When she reached his wrists, she smiled at him and pinned them to the bed.

"Well, now you are my prisoner for a change..." she whispered and he freed himself without effort. She grabbed his hands again. "And I happen to treat my prisoners very well – not one of them ever left unsatisfied..."

"How many were there?" he asked with a smile, and she bent down.

"For a prisoner, you are still a little too imprudent." She let go of his hands and moved her hips a little down his body to be able to open his pants. "So if you intend on getting satisfied anytime soon, you should work on your tone."

"As you wish, Milady." Jack replied, joining in her game, while his hands played at the back of her knees. She sighed and finally managed to pull down his pants. He helped her and some moments later the cloth landed on the ground next to the bed.

Irina sat back up and smiled at him. "So... my prisoner, what do you want me to do..."

Jack's hands played at her legs again, then suddenly his eyes started to gleam.

"Undress for me..."

"What?" Irina asked, staring at him. "That's all?"

"For now," he nodded and Irina smiled.

"Then your wish is my command." She wanted to climb off him to pull of her underwear, but Jack held her back.

"No, slowly! And stay exactly there." He demanded. Irina pulled his hands away from her hips and pressed them next to his head to the mattress. Her lips were only a hair-breadth away from his when she whispered "Fine, but only under one condition! You keep your hands to yourself, Lord Bristow. No touching until I allow you to."

Without waiting for his approval, she sat up again and carefully removed the pins from her hair. Her full, wavy stands fell down and framed her face. When she had all needles removed from her hair, she dropped them to the ground, and the sound they made when they made contact with the wooden floor broke the silence of the room. Irina laid her head back and moved her hand through her hair to loosen it. When it was lying wild and untamed around her face, she looked down at Jack, her eyes glowing with desire.

He was unable to do anything but stare at her appearance. Never ever had he seen a woman who was more beautiful than she was.

Irina moved her fingers in a butterfly touch over his stomach, then she lifted her hands and started to slowly open the thin ribbon that closed the underwear in the front. Taking her time, she carefully removed the ribbon from it's eyelets, revealing her silky skin slowly when the fabric opened. One of the straps slid down her shoulder and hung loosely on her arm. Jack felt the need to sit up right away to claim that soft skin that presented itself to him so openly. It took all of his control to hold back. No doubt, she knew exactly how to drive a man crazy.

Ever so slowly, she removed the other strap from her shoulder, moving it down her arm as if it was the softest touch she had ever felt.

Sitting there, her dress so daringly open, and the straps hanging carelessly down, she reminded him of a gypsy. Her tousled hair and the seductive look supported this fantasy in his head.

A perfect description for her, he thought silently. Irina definitely had the rebelling mind and the exotic beauty of a gypsy – not to mention the ability to fight for herself and her freedom.

There is only one way to make a gypsy stay in one place – to make her heart stay, he thought to himself.

Irina's hands moved over Jack's belly and his abdomen, making him tremble. She noticed it with satisfaction and lifted her dress then, to pull it over her head. Without caring she discarded it to the floor, sitting completely naked on top of him. Jack let out a soft moan, and his hand moved over her hips and up her body to cover her breasts.

"Stick to the rule," Irina said, putting a scandalized tone into her voice and laid her hands to his wrists. His touch on her skin felt as if he was burning her – too pleasurable to pull his hands away.

His thumbs started to tease her nipples until they hardened under his touch. Contented, he noticed that Irina's breath grew shallower. He continued caressing her, forming out her body with his hands and discovering her ticklish spots. Soon he had found all her sensitive points and paid special attention to them until her eyes were clouded with uncontrolled passion and her skin flushed.

When his hand moved between their bodies and explored her core, she gave a loud moan. His fingers started to tease her softly at first, until she urged him on impatiently. His thumb flicked her clit, causing another moan to escape her lips.

"Oh god, Jack..." Irina leaned softly forward onto his chest when he entered her with one finger, finding her ready for him. His free hand supported her, while he tenderly started to massage a spot deep inside her. She started to move on his hand and the world seemed to start spinning in front of her eyes. Suddenly, she tore at his underpants. "These have to go – now!" she murmured, her voice thick with need.

Jack smiled and all of a sudden flipped them over, remaining in between her legs. "Not just yet, darling..."

Irina had no time to contradict this intimate address, when Jack's lips moved slowly over her slightly parted mouth. He took his time and took possession of her lips, then explored her neck and shoulders, before he turned his full attention on her breast.

"I would say this is a change in power...," he teased her slowly and pinned her arms to the mattress, "...my beautiful prisoner." He lowered his lips to her ear. "What do you think I should do to you as revenge for your torture?"

She smiled against his cheek, biting his skin softly. "You could just make love to me – fast and hard – and now!"

Jack chuckled and caressed her earlobe with his tongue before he gave her an answer. "You know what? I will do that... just as I have told you in the garden..."

He trailed his lips down her belly, rediscovering with his mouth all the spots he had just visited with his hands. His hands held her hips when he trailed a hot path down her abdomen with his tongue. He moved his lips over her leg and inner thigh, then between her legs, finally touching her core with his lips. Softly, his tongue flicked out, teasing her in a butterfly touch and causing her to gasp in surprise and arch against him, before he pulled back, giving her time to get used to his touch.

The next stroke of his tongue was deeper, more insistent, and a loud moan escaped her throat. She spread her legs farther to allow him better access. The heat that struck her at his third touch seemed to burn her alive, floating through her whole body and turning her blood into streams of lava. She closed her eyes to stop the white stars from clouding her vision.

Jack moaned against her center at the sight of her ecstasy. His touches became more relentless, his hands holding her in place. Looking at her was almost enough to make him lose control right then. Yet, this time he wanted to push her until she would shatter in his arms and belong to him completely.

He parted her folds with his tongue and felt a shiver run though her whole body.

Almost desperate, she cried out his name in a hidden plea to stop torturing her.

She laid her head back and bit her lips. Her left hand buried in his hair, her other one clenched to a fist.

When he entered her with his tongue, she bent her body and violent shivers shook her. Jack moved away from her center, kissing her belly button softly, and waited until she had calmed down a little.

"Jack..." Irina whimpered. "Don't stop now..."

At her husky voice, he had almost lost himself and just fulfilled her wish. Yet, he wanted to hold the moment a little longer. His kisses were almost innocent now, yet Irina reacted to him with every single one of her oversensitive nerves. Every touch of his lips felt as if he was igniting a fire just at that spot.

He brought them face to face to look into her eyes. Her skin was flushed and damp and he stroked one of the strands of hair away from her face. His lips hovered only an inch above hers.

Irina's hands framed his face and she gasped in surprise when she felt his erection at her thigh. When had he managed to pull his pants off? She didn't care actually. Trying to break his control, she moved her body erotically against his. Jack moaned and stilled her hips with his.

"Stop fighting me..." he demanded against her lips, and Irina gave a short laugh, her hands grabbing his shoulders.

"Never..." she replied playfully, her tongue flicking out and teasing the corner of his mouth. At the next second she moaned, clasping his shoulders tighter when he entered her in a deep thrust. He stilled for a moment, just kissing her chin and throat, until he felt her moving against him, trying to seduce him into her rhythm.

He gave in, starting to move slowly inside her, holding her eyes in an intense gaze. His hands touched her cheek, ran through her hair and over her shoulders as if he needed to feel that she was real. And for a single instant, he realized that she possessed his heart – that he didn't know how he would ever be able to live without her when the three months had passed.

Her moans increased, and she closed her eyes when his lips started to shower her cheek with short kisses. He increased the pace of his movements. Her moans turned into whimpers and she dug her fingers into his back, increasing his passion in just the right mixture of pleasure and pain. He marked her neck with his teeth, immediately soothing it with his tongue.

Irina pulled her knees closer to her body, taking him deeper and bringing him into a position that allowed him to stroke the spot inside her that brought her even more pleasure.

"Oh... Irina..." Jack groaned into her hair, feeling his release building up.

"Come for me..." she whispered into his hair, and her throaty words were enough to break his control. Unable to hold back any longer, he thrust into her faster and eventually came, groaning her name. When Irina felt the shudders running through his body, her own climax hit her like a thunderstorm, and for a few seconds, her mind faded into black.

Breathing heavily, neither of them was able to move. Irina's hand was still buried in Jack's hair, their eyes closed. When she felt him lift his head, her eyes fluttered open and she smiled at him weakly. Unable to say a single word, he looked at her flushed skin. She saw a single drop of sweat running down his cheek and wiped it away from his damp skin with her thumb.

He touched her lips with still trembling hands and then melded them with his in a deep and ever so tender kiss. Unable to break free from each other, they sank into a series of sweet kisses. Finally, Jack moved a little so he was lying next to Irina. His hand was lying loosely on her chest, and he could still feel her heart beating rapidly.

"You are unbelievable..." she finally whispered when she was able to speak again. "I never felt so..." she started, then cut herself off. Jack drew slow, tender circles on her back and smiled into her hair.

"The same is for me..." he simply said and looked at the wall for a short time. "Let's make a deal. When you feel the need to do something like this again – come to me next time instead of another random man."

"I will," she promised. "I will definitely." For a short time neither of them said a word, then suddenly Irina looked up. "Under one condition: You do not leave for another girl again."

He held her eyes for an endless moment, then kissed her passionately. "I won't," he promised.

Irina smiled and closed her eyes sated. She fell into a light slumber, her face buried at Jack's neck. When Jack felt her sleeping, he stroked softly through her hair and loosened from her body. Irina immediately opened her eyes and sat up in confusion.

"Don't go... where are you going?"

He laughed and collected his clothes from the ground. "Honey, there are guests waiting downstairs." Quickly, he started to get dressed.

"For heaven's sake..." Irina, who had totally forgotten about the party that was going on downstairs, reached for her nightrobe and got up. She wrapped herself in the silk material and looked at Jack. "I need my maid to do my hair and..." Nervously, she ran her hand through her totally tousled strands. Jack went to her and took her hands, kissing them softly.

"You stay here..." he whispered and kissed her on the lips then. "I will tell the guests that you retired because of a headache. There is nothing unusual about that. Get some rest..."

"Well..." she smiled at him. "Thank you." She ran his hands through his hair, bringing them back into order. Then she laid her finger to his lips in a tender gesture and smiled. Jack placed a soft kiss on her finger. "Good night." He said softly and then turned.

Irina followed him slowly and on the way, collected her clothes from the ground. Carefully, she lifted her expensive dress from the carpet and laid it over her armchair. She was smoothing it with her hands when suddenly she noted something that made her frown.

Jack pulled the key to her door out of his pocket and inserted it from the outside into the lock. Immediately, Irina stood upright.

"Jack, what are you doing?"

He closed the door, and Irina heard the key being turned. She hurried to the door, trying the handle and finding it locked. Furiously, she beat against the wooden door.

"Jack Bristow, open this door at once. Are you crazy?"

"Irina, despite everything that happened, don't think that I trust you an inch, or that you could manipulate me with your body. Now enjoy your rest. We'll discuss it in the morning!"

Her answer was a series of infuriated cries and beats, before she sank to the ground in front of the door, staring into the fire.

"I hate you, Bristow, I hope you are aware of that! Damned bastard!" she swore.

"Sweet dreams to you too..." was his answer through he wood, then she heard him go away. Irina let her head sink back against the door and closed her eyes. What was happening to her? She knew she hated Jack -–yet, in moments like the ones they had just shared, she gave everything to him and lost herself completely. Even more, she forgot that he was her enemy and their marriage was only fake.

Slowly, Irina got up and went to her armchair. Grabbing a blanket from the table, she snuggled up in the soft cushions of the chair and looked into the fire for a long time.

Well, I guess, she thought, it is my fault that he doesn't trust me and maybe it is better this way. She closed her eyes and gave in to the comfortable warmth and her need of sleep.


	19. Changes

  
Part 18 – Changes 

_Somewhere in England – Same Evening_

The night was chilly. It was already fall and the temperature announced that it would soon be winter. The leaves were falling from the trees, being pulled into all directions by the wind, and then gathered at the side of the road.

Lady Katya Derevko pulled her cape higher into her face to shield herself from the sharp breeze that stung her skin. She wondered what could be so urgent that the messenger had insisted she visit Arvin Sloane right away. Hopefully it was something important, otherwise she would be really angry.

It was totally unlike Arvin to call her out of bed in the middle of the night. Well, not totally unlike, she thought and remembered two nights ago when he had visited her in the middle of the night just to make love to her.

Lady Katya Derevko was not, nor had she ever been one of those women who longed for the love of a man, but somehow Lord Sloane had warmed her heart. Not only was he passionate when it came to the bedroom, he was equal to her and able to fulfill her deepest needs. Even if he was one of the powerful rebel leaders, she didn't consider him as a threat to her.

She started to run, wanting nothing more that to get out of this weather as soon as possible.

When she had reached the house, she knocked at the door impatiently, stepping from one foot to the other while waiting for the maid to open up.

Two minutes later the door opened just a crack and the grumpy face of an old woman peered outside through the opening. When she recognized Katya, she opened the door wider.

"Milady, the lord is already waiting for you. Come in please."

Katya thanked her and gave her cape to the servant. "Is he in his study?" she then asked, and the nod of the old woman was enough for her.

Rubbing her arms to warm herself up, she went along the small corridor and knocked at the door of the study. Without waiting for an answer, she entered the room.

Arvin Sloane looked up from his desk and leaned back in his chair when he saw her.

"Katya!" he said smiling and got up. He went to the woman and placed a deep kiss on her lips.

"Arvin," she replied, her hands lying on his chest. "Why did you want to talk to me?"

He sighed and smiled, playing with the scarf she was wearing. "Let us take a slow walk." He suggested. Katya cocked her head slightly.

"Now? It's cold outside and..." she started to contradict, but Arvin laid his arm around her waist.

"I will warm you up." He whispered flirtatiously into her ear, knowing that she enjoyed if he came up with new ideas to love her, and Katya smiled.

"Well, in that case."

They left the room and ordered the servants to bring them their coats. Katya wrapped herself deeply in her cape and silently admired Arvin for still wearing his thin summer coat.

Then they left the house. For some time, they just walked side by side, both silent, until Katya finally asked why he had called her so urgently to his house. They had almost passed through the whole city by now and were going over the bridge that crossed the river.

Arvin kept looking somewhere in the distance. "I met your sister tonight," he announced. Katya froze for a split second, but was immediately under control again.

"Did you?"

"Yes," he said, now piercing her with his eyes. "She married Jack Bristow, because they love each other, didn't she?"

"Yes," Katya said, as if it wasn't important at all. She had not expected Sloane to meet with Irina. Silently, Katya wished that her younger sister hadn't blown her cover by any thoughtless outburst of her temper. Of the three girls, Irina had always been most like their mother. Katya, who was the only sister who still had a vivid memory of Tatyana Derevko, remembered her mother always to be reasonable and reliable. But once her fury was ignited, even their father had not dared to go near her. To tease his wife, he had always attributed her outbursts the heritage of her Russian ancestors.

Katya closed her eyes for a moment. Irina hated Jack Bristow. Though she wasn't sure how Jack felt towards her sister, Katya knew that no man would accept constant outbursts of temper without at some point starting to get furious himself.

The more she thought about it, the less she doubted that Irina and Jack had not at all acted like a happily married couple. The next words from Arvin Sloane confirmed her fear.

"Well, that is interesting, because when I met her tonight, she seemed desperately in search of certain amusements." His voice was dripping with sarcasm now, making it clear that he didn't believe one single word of what Katya said.

"What did you do?" the woman gasped, trying to hide her shock behind a facade of indifference. "Did you hurt her?"

"No... no, I was just having a little fun with her – until Bristow found us. I guess he is the one who might have killed her."

"What?" Katya whispered almost soundlessly, and then realized that she had lost her countenance. "I... I don't understand why you are telling me all this..."

"Because, my dear, after seeing your sister tonight, I believe that you were lying to me about her. Couldn't it be that your sister is more the prisoner of Bristow? I observed them the whole evening. He was clearly giving her orders and threatened her – although they tried to make it look like they were a couple totally in love. I have known Bristow since he was a boy – he can't fool me."

"Arvin I have no idea what you're..." she shrieked when he grabbed her harshly.

"Don't lie to me, you little whore. What kind of game are you playing here? Are you working for Bristow? To buy your sister's freedom? Don't look at me so shocked. I am not stupid, and I have sources! They told me how Irina and Bristow met... and shortly afterwards you want to get contact to higher ranking officers of our group. You were trying to sell us..."

"No!" she yelled, panicked, into his face. "I swear I had no idea. I am not trying to sell you..."

"Did you tell your sister that you were having contact with me?"

"NO! Arvin, I did not try to betray you!"

He looked at her lips and shook his head. "I know you are lying... but that doesn't even matter anymore. Do you know why? Because you actually did a great favor to us. Your sister is in a perfect position. You will never be able to tell anybody who you met, so everything is just fine..."

"Wha..." Katya started, then her eyes grew wide when she felt the cold steel of a knife being bored into her stomach. She gasped for breath in shock, panicked when she felt the stitching pain rush through her body. Every breath suddenly was as if she breathed in needles instead of air.

Desperately, she tried to hold on to Arvin Sloane, but he pushed her against the edge of the bridge, causing her to cry out in pain.

"Goodbye, Lady Katya. You were a very amusing pastime. It's a pity. I doubt I will ever get a whore again who fulfills her duties as well as you do." With these words, he threw her over the edge without much of an effort. Katya's body fell onto the water's surface like a stone, and she sank almost immediately into the icy water. Arvin Sloane smiled contentedly. The current would take her body to the sea, and she would never be found again.

Now it was time to start with phase two...

_Next morning – Manor of Lord Bristow_

On first waking, Irina had no idea where she was. The bright daylight shone into her face, and she blinked against it. It didn't take her long to fully wake up. She was still sitting in the armchair in which she had fallen asleep yesterday evening after...

Within a few seconds, she stood upright and ran to the door. When she found it still locked, she cursed silently and started to beat against the thick wood.

"I am hungry! And I want a bath!" she yelled when nobody reacted to her pounding. For another three minutes nothing at all happened. Then the door was opened carefully. Irina was just about to yell at Jack when she found James entering the room, followed by Sarah and three female servants who carried a tub and buckets with hot water.

Sarah started her daily duties by cleaning the room and putting out a dress for Irina. In the meantime, James remained standing in the doorframe like a guard.

"What is going on here?" Irina snapped angrily. "Why did nobody wake me and where is Jack?"

James lowered his head apologetically. "Lord Bristow asked me to bring you his apologies. He had to leave early this morning, but didn't want to wake you up. He asked me to give you this..." The butler handed her some books with a red rose lying on them. Irina looked at the tablet with the books and then at James.

"Is he trying to make fun of me? He is giving me a rose?" she ranted, and James shifted uncomfortably.

"Yes, Milady."

"But I am not allowed to leave this room, otherwise you wouldn't stand in the doorframe like a statue!" she stated correctly. James nodded simply with his usually impassive face.

"The lord said, that he was sorry for not being able to this discuss with you and he asked you to wait until tomorrow."

"That's what he said?" Irina snapped and James shrugged his shoulders.

"No, actually he said: I am not going to let her move freely when I am out of the house for a whole day. I am not very fond of having to search my whole land for that woman to catch her again." The butler put the tablet onto a small table and gave Irina the hint of a smile. "I am sorry, but you shouldn't take it so seriously. After all you can relax one day in your room."

"I don't want to relax!" Irina replied and took a deep breath. The servants were not responsible for her situation – they were just carrying out orders. So, Irina sat down patiently, while Sarah started to work on her hair. In the meanwhile, the other servants continued to bring buckets of water and fill the tub. When the tub was full, they left the room. James looked at Sarah and smiled slightly.

"Just knock at the door when you are finished here. I will have the cook prepare a breakfast for milady."

With these words, he closed the door to Irina's room and locked it. Irina inhaled deeply, her eyes sparkling with fury. Sarah looked at her insecurely and then at the tub.

"Milady, do you want to take a bath?" she asked shyly, and Irina nodded.

"Yes..." she said simply. Sarah helped her to pull off her night robe and then step into the hot water. Irina leaned back and closed her eyes, just listening to the sound of Sarah collecting soap and lotions and her other bathing supplies. She dove under water for a moment to free her mind. How could Jack be so rude and lock her in this room after everything they had shared last night? She didn't want to run away – but if he treated her like this, she felt really tempted to do so, just to show him that he didn't have power over her.

When she surfaced, she looked into the worried eyes of Sarah.

"I thought you were drowning." The young maid sighed relieved, and Irina had to chuckle with amusement.

"I don't drown that easily, Sarah..." she said kindly while the girl started to wash her hair.

For a moment they fell into silence, until Sarah cleared her throat nervously. "I didn't even thank you for what you did last night for August and me."

Irina didn't say anything, and Sarah continued.

"I was really afraid that Mrs. Tribbiani would kill me. I know it wasn't right what we did, but I promise it won't ever happen again, Milady."

"Sarah," Irina started. "I don't know how Mrs. Tribbiani leads this household, but in the household of my family, we don't see things so strictly. I never learned to have a strict separation from the servants. We used to even have dinner with them."

"Wow.." Sarah exclaimed fascinated. "The lords and ladies with the servants?"

"Well, we weren't that many. Just my sisters and me, our maid, a cook and one servant. However, what I meant was, that you don't need to apologize for what you've done. After all, it was your privacy. I noticed that Lord Bristow handles things differently here."

"No, the lord is fine actually. Mrs. Tribbiani is the dragon. Lord Bristow never interferes with her rules. He trusts her, but she is really strict."

"Why don't you go to him then, if you have problems?"

"Because Mrs. Tribbiani forbid us to ever bother the lord with our problems. She says she is responsible for us, and if she learns that somebody went to the lord, she would dismiss that person at once. Well, except for James. James is the only one whom she respects. They hate each other." Sarah giggled and started to wash the foam carefully out of Irina's hair.

"Do they?" the woman asked amused. "Why do they hate each other?"

"Because James doesn't acknowledge her as the mistress, and he doesn't obey her orders. He just does what he thinks is right. And she is so angry at him, because she knows that he may do what he wants. Lord Bristow was always confident with how he fulfilled his tasks. They have known each other since the lord was a boy.

James sees Mrs. Tribbiani only as a dragon who wants to show her power to others. He doesn't take her seriously – and I think that outrages her the most." Again the girl gave a giggle, and Irina had to smile.

Some time passed in silenced while Irina washed herself, and Sarah prepared the towels.

When the maid fetched the buckets with the clear water to wash the rest of the foam out of Irina's hair, she started to chitchat again. Irina closed her eyes just listening to her, and asking questions from time to time.

Sarah lifted the heavy bucket and carefully emptied it over Irina's head. When she put it down on the ground and started to squeeze the water out of her mistress' long hair, her eyes were suddenly caught by the red mark on her neck.

"You love him, don't you?" she asked out of the blue, covering her mouth with her hands at the same time. "I'm sorry, Milady, that's not a question a maid should ask."

Irina looked at her and noticed that Sarah's eyes were lying on her neck. By looking in the mirror, Irina understood why, and slightly embarrassed, she covered the red mark on her skin with her hand. For a moment, she stared at her reflection, totally lost in thoughts. What was happening with her? Why did her heart seem to jump if somebody spoke about Jack?

"We are married..." she finally replied, as if it was the answer to the question Sarah had asked.

"Well, it is really not fair that he locks you up inside here, but maybe, Milady, you should see it this way: he is just afraid that you will run away, because you mean so much to him." Sarah helped her to get out of the tub and wrapped her in a large towel then. "I mean, the lord has never acted like that before."

Irina sighed and smiled at Sarah. "It's not that easy," she said. "He doesn't love me. He just doesn't trust me, that's all."

Sarah smiled, while she carefully started to dry Irina's hair. "Who knows... you know, men behave strangely sometimes when they are in love."

Irina looked at her maid in the mirror, eyeing her thoughtfully. Could it be that Jack was just so rude and mean because he loved her? No, that was ridiculous. On the other hand... No! Irina discarded the thought quickly. She shouldn't even start to hope that Jack loved her. Whether he had feelings for her or not, she would have to leave him in three months and then she would never ever see him again. So actually, feelings were irrelevant.

The rest of the time passed in silence between the two women. When Sarah was finished dressing Irina and doing her hair, she knocked at the door. Immediately, James opened it, and two servants started to empty the tub and carry the water away, while others came in with a rich breakfast.

Jack was sitting in the empty pub in the country and looked out of the window impatiently. For the fourth time he negated the servant's question of whether he wished to drink something. He handed her a silver coin, with the request to not disturb him anymore.

Worried, he looked at the large clock that was standing at the wall on the other side of the room. His contact was already ten minutes late, and the message he had received this morning sounded rather serious. He was already thinking about searching for the man, when the heavy wooden door opened with a squeak, and a man with a dark coat entered. He shook the raindrops off his coat without caring that he was ruining the floor, then he scanned the room and moved towards Jack in the corner.

He saluted, and Jack signaled him to sit down, smiling apologetically at the young servant who shot them confused looks.

"I hope it is important," Jack hissed in a leveled voice. "Otherwise, there is no reason for you to leave Lady Katya out of your sight."

"Sir, I kind of already did. I don't know how to say this, but... um... I lost her two days ago."

"What?" Jack asked louder now, his hands slamming to the table. "What do you mean by 'you lost her'? How can you lose her?"

"It was in London. I think, she suspected that she was being followed. However, she seemed to be a professional at losing somebody."

"Of course she is a professional. I told you to watch her and never take your eyes off her! I can't believe that task was too hard for one of my best soldiers." Jack ranted and took a deep breath, then he realized that the other guests in the pub were eyeing him suspiciously. For a moment, he looked out of the window thinking about what to do next. He was really worried now – worried for Lady Katya's life. He knew Irina would never forgive him if something happened to her.

"Go back to London," he finally ordered, "Search for her. She has to be somewhere. I want you to turn every stone until you have found her – but discreetly, understood? As soon as you have found her, extract her. Bring her to me. I don't care for that damned list anymore."

"But Sir..."

"Just do as I told you to! I sent her out, because I thought that I had skilled men to protect her – which is obviously not the case. I am not giving a woman such a dangerous mission if there is nobody to protect her. She is my sister-in-law, so bring her back to me as soon as you found her!" Jack repeated his order menacingly. "And I am warning you: another mistake and you will spend the rest of your life taking care of the potatoes in the kitchen."

"Yes, Sir!" The man said and saluted again. Then he turned and wanted to leave, but stopped, remembering something. "Milord, before I forget, didn't you say you wanted to know something about the Derevko family?"

Now he had Jack's full attention. "Yes!"

"Well, I was talking to some elder officers in London about your – um – 'wife' and her family. Apparently her mother died around twenty-five years ago. When I asked how, they were all awfully silent, so I started to do further research. A friend of mine told me that his father might know something, so he will ask him about the circumstances – only if you're interested of course."

"Yes!" Jack emphasized, "Thank you. Now please, find Lady Katya!"

The soldier hurried to leave the pub. Jack sighed and watched him leave through the window. The thought of Lady Katya having to deal with higher ranking gangsters was nothing that calmed him down. Although she seemed to be quite independent and able to defend herself – just as Irina was – there were men out there who were more dangerous. He just prayed that she was alright, and that his soldier would soon bring her back to his manor.

Maybe she could already give him some names, then he could do the rest of the work. He just didn't know what to do with Irina. It was his decision to pull Katya back, so technically she had fulfilled her part of the contract – which meant that he would be forced to allow Irina to leave. And if she left, he knew, he would lose her. There was nothing he could do...

Jack gave a deep sigh. What an irony, he thought. At court, there were dozens of women who threw themselves onto him whenever he entered a room. Just one clapping of his hands, and he could marry any one of those women he wanted. Yet, he wanted Irina – probably the only woman who did not want him.

Well, why should she want him? Up to now, he had not treated her with his best manners – she on the contrary hadn't behaved ladylike either. Jack reflected for a moment, then an idea came to his mind. She had learned to have to defend herself, she had always had to do so, otherwise she would not have survived in the world of criminals in which she had lived. But behavior such as she had shown yesterday evening at the party – James had told him about the servant's incident – proved, that she had a noble education and knew how to behave, at least if she wanted to. Maybe if he started to treat her differently, she would stop being so hostile. Yes, maybe if he started to court her, as it was tradition, she would start reacting like a young lady. In her opinion, the only enemy in his manor was him. And there was absolutely no need for them to fight each other...


	20. Treat Her Like a Lady

**Part 19 – Treat her like a lady**

Although she would have never admitted it, Irina fairly enjoyed the day in her room. Whenever she needed something, James or Sarah were there to arrange it for her. She didn't even have to move. So she spent the day in her armchair, mostly reading. When she was free to move, she always enjoyed spending her time in Jack's large library and so, this day wasn't so much of a difference – except that she spent her time in her own room reading.

The time passed her by, and when the servants lit the candles in her room, Irina was surprised at how quickly the day had turned into evening.

It was almost eight when the door opened. Irina expected the servants to bring the supper, but when nothing happened she looked up and found Jack leaning at the door, watching her amused.

Irina, who had been laying quite leisurely in her armchair, with her legs over the armrest, straightened herself out and got up. Her eyes locked with Jack's, and he could not tell whether she was angry or happy to see him.

"I know you are angry," he started to calm her down, "and you have every right to be."

Irina cocked her head. Actually she wasn't even angry anymore, and Jack's behavior now amused her. "How is that?"

"It was not right to lock you in here the whole day." Jack simply stated.

"No, it wasn't." She would not tell him that it had not been so bad. If he wanted to apologize, he should do so. It would give her an inner triumph.

"I hadn't planned it this way – however..." Jack continued and went towards her. Irina remained where she was without moving. When he touched her cheek, she evaded his touch and turned her back on him.

"Just to clarify this before," she started, "Are you going to share my bed again and then lock me up afterwards? Because if so, I'd rather not..."

"You're furious..." Jack stated with a sigh. Irina went to the window, pulling back the curtains slightly to be able to look outside.

"No. No, I'm not furious. I just want to know, so I'm not confused again." She stared out into the dark night. Down on the lawn in front of the house some servants were still busy with taking care of the horses.

Jack went to join her, and when he was standing behind her, laid his hands to her waist. "I do not plan to make love to you," he said softly. "Actually I planned to invite you for a ride into the countryside tomorrow. I have to visit one of my farms and I thought you might want to come with me to get to know the landscape a little bit."

Irina turned around and stared at him open-mouthed – for a moment too surprised to say anything.

When Jack saw her puzzled face, he took one of her hands and placed a soft kiss on it. "Please. I would really enjoy your company."

"I... I..." Irina said, unable to think or understand what he was planning. Why was he suddenly behaving so differently? He had apologized for locking her in her room, and now he invited her to leave the property tomorrow? What was he hoping to achieve by his kindness?

"It would be my pleasure." She finally answered with a faint smile, hating the weakness that she suddenly felt inside.

Since she had been determined to ignore Jack and play cool for some time, she was even more surprised that his sudden friendliness put her off. He behaved like a gentleman and had given her the possibility to choose whether she wanted to come or not. Being a woman, she was not at all immune to almost courting behavior from a charming man – but that Jack was the man who was able to break all her properly built walls of control wouldn't have come to her mind.

Jack returned her smile and turned her hand then to place a soft kiss on her palm. He didn't miss the slight shiver that ran through her body in reaction to his tender gesture.

"Great. We will start as soon as the sun rises. I am looking forward to it." He turned and went to the door, leaving a totally stunned Irina at the window. Before he left the room, he placed the key on the drawer next to the door and smiled at her. "Good Night."

"You too..." she replied in total disbelief and watched him close the door. Then she heard him go away. As soon as she was able to move without trembling again, she went to the door, trying the handle and finding that it was open. Irina took the key from the drawer and shook her head looking at it. What had happened to Jack? Why didn't he lock her up anymore? And most important of all, why did he behave so differently all of a sudden? He had been courteous and treated her like – Irina froze for a moment – yes, he had treated her like one of the ladies at court.

Before she could go further into that thought, the door opened and Sarah entered the room, her face bright and smiling.

"The lord told me to help you prepare for bed, because he said you have to be up early?"

"Yes," Irina nodded and looked at the tablet Sarah was bringing with her. Bread, warm milk and fruit were lying on it. Sarah put it on the table and while Irina started to eat, the young maid prepared everything for the night. While she was doing so she started to tell Irina about the beautiful countryside she was about to see and that the farm they were going to visit had been hit by lightening during the last thunderstorm. Therefore, it had to be rebuilt again.

When Irina had finished her dinner, she had almost learned everything about the farm and its owners. Sarah helped her to undress and waited until Irina was lying in her bed, before she started to put out the candles.

The morning air was cool and sent a freezing chill through their bodies. The light of the early sun slowly brought everything to life and gradually melted the dew that glistened in the trees and on the grass.

A fresh, salty breeze from the ocean made Irina shiver slightly, and she pulled her cape tighter around her body while she watched Jack giving orders to the stable aids.

She admired him for the authority he ordered his servants around with – even so early in the morning. Irina herself was not at all a morning person. Usually it took her two hours until she was fully aware to understand the words spoken to her. She fought against the urge to yawn, knowing that it was totally unacceptable to yawn openly for a lady.

She looked around on the yard, watching the hustle and bustle of the servants who had to be up early. Two younger girls were trying to drive the geese and chickens out of their small stable. Irina smiled, when again and again one or two smart animals managed to escape and run back into the stable. The girls started to yell at the chickens, but they didn't seem to care at all. Soon the girls came up with a strategy to make the animals leave and ended up hunting them through the whole stable in laughter.

The scene ended when Mrs. Tribbiani suddenly came out of the house with a strict expression on her face and headed straight towards the stable. She started to throw curses and yell at the girls who sank deeper with every word. Even the animals suddenly complied and left the barn without further ado.

Mrs. Tribbiani grabbed the girls at their ears and pulled them out of the barn towards the main house. Irina looked at her in disbelief, and when the eyes of the housekeeper met hers, Irina swore that she would have been dead if looks could kill.

She turned away and smiled at Jack who brought a horse towards her – the same horse she had wanted to take the first time, when her ride had ended in the cellar prison.

"You told me that you liked her, so if you get along with her you can take her today." He said handing the reins to Irina. Her face brightened, and she touched the horse's nostrils, her gaze never leaving Jack's eyes.

"Thank you," she said lowly. Jack smiled, and took the reins of his own horse out of James' hand. He turned to the old butler and nodded courteously.

"Okay," he then announced to some of his soldiers. "Are you ready? Then let's get moving."

With these words he turned to Irina and laid his hands to her waist. "Hold on," he said softly, and she did as he said in confusion. A surprised sound escaped her when Jack lifted her up onto the horse.

"Tha-thank you." She managed to say, touching Jack's hand softly. "But I could have gotten up by myself."

"I know." He replied and mounted his own horse. "Shall we?"

Irina nodded smiling. "Yes." She held the reins tight, and Jack didn't doubt for one single minute that she was a perfect rider. At a slow trot, they left the property through the large front gate, Jack riding at the top of the group and Irina next to him. The soldiers followed them, loudly joking and talking about happenings in the last war or fights.

"How large is your property?" Irina asked after some time of silence, and Jack looked at her.

"From here to the shore, a few kilometers along the coastline and a some kilometers into the countryside. The farm is at the edge of the land that belongs to me. The property was larger once, but in the times where the different counties fought each other, my ancestors lost some of it to their neighbors." He explained.

"It's beautiful," Irina swooned. "Our property has never been that large…only a few kilometers. It consists of only one village and two farms. We've lost a lot to the queen in the fights when..." she stopped all of a sudden and smiled. "Never mind. I love your property a great deal more than ours."

Jack smiled. "Wait until you have seen all of it."

They continued their way through the green fields and a smaller forest. The whole countryside reflected Jack's wealth. Whereas her own property was poorer and even destroyed at some parts, the fields and villages here showed a certain amount of prosperity.

When they had ridden for almost two hours, they could see a large farm in the distance. It was destroyed, obviously from a fire. Dark clouds were still rising from the houses and gave away that the fire had only been out for a few hours maybe.

When they entered the farm through the destroyed front gate, they saw two women already cleaning up some dirt and collecting things that were still intact from the ruins. Three young boys and one older man were trying to clear away some wood and stones from the burned house."

Jack got off his horse and so did the soldiers he had taken. The two women, who had already seen him, came running towards them and bowed deeply.

"Milord, thank you for your help." They praised him. Jack nodded simply, and while he helped Irina to slide down her horse, he gave orders to the soldiers. When the men were hurrying away to help with cleaning up and putting out the rest of the fires, he looked at Irina and offered his arm to her.

"If you want, I will show you around a little bit."

"I would love that." she smiled and took his arm gallantly. "How long will it take until the farm is re-built?"

"Approximately a month." Jack replied. "Fortunately the weather is still mild, and that eases the work a lot. If something like this happens in winter, there is no chance to build up anything. The families have to live elsewhere then."

"This is astounding. Nobody on your land seems to be poor." She said, more to herself than to him. Jack looked at her.

"Nobody is. The poverty is mostly caused by bad property-owners or rebels who destroy the reputation of the land."

"The rebels are caused by poverty." Irina replied. "It is too easy to say that it is them who are guilty of the poverty. There has to be lack first, before people start stealing and robbing."

Jack thought that it was probably better to not continue the discussion, but he didn't listen to his own advice. "That might be the case for one single land, Irina. But I know some other cases, which have been ruined by robbery and crimes. I myself was able to protect my land, but that is only due to the fact that I have enough money to afford a large number of soldiers. Other lords do not have that privilege, and so they have no means to oppose the groups of criminals."

"That is a lie," Irina hissed angrily. "The lords pull the last penny out of the pockets of the poor people by increasing the taxes and..."

"Because they have to rebuild their lands, as I have to do. They have to repair the damage the robbers and outlaws leave behind. It is not the lords who rob their people – it's the terrorists." Jack countered and touched her hand. "I don't want to fight with you Irina, but I have seen dozens of cases who prove that it is not the poor people who gain profit of terrorism, smuggling and robbery. It is some criminals who do - those men you call your bosses! And unfortunately, those men often already possess a good amount of money and want to increase their fortune by using people for their own goals."

"I don't believe you," Irina murmured and couldn't hide uncertainty from her voice.

"I don't expect you to," Jack replied softly. "I just hope that someday you will see that you gave your loyalty to really dangerous men who are not worth it."

"But the queen is worth it? Is that what you want to say?" Irina snapped and loosened from his grip. "The woman who kills innocent people is worth giving loyalty to, huh? The woman who sends out her soldiers to rape innocent women and kill children?"

"Irina, what are you talking about?" Jack asked, shocked when he saw the tears of rage standing in her eyes. "I am sorry, I didn't want to upset you."

Irina scoffed and turned her back to him. "Then don't ever tell me again that your queen is such a just and friendly woman. I know that she is not. Maybe the terrorists are not exactly what somebody of your rank would consider good company, but at least they are honest and don't betray their people."

"Such as Gerard Cuvee, who stood behind you when you needed help?" he asked, and Irina spun around.

"That was different! That was my own fault. He had all the right to treat my like a traitor. I betrayed them by telling you my name. And now you even want me to fight against my friends and convince me that it is really them who are my enemies when you are the only one I have to be afraid of," she yelled at him furiously, and although they were standing a good distance away from the soldiers, they shot them half-amused, but also concerned glances. Irina turned around and hurried away towards her horse.

Jack cursed himself. What had he been thinking to start a conversation like this with her? Sometimes he behaved like an idiot who had never heard anything about women...

He hurried to follow Irina and caught up with her when she had reached her mare. Softly he held her hand when she wanted to lift herself onto the back of the animal.

"Where are you going?"

"I want to go back to the house." Irina murmured. "It was a mistake to go on this ride with you."

Jack loosened her hand softly from the saddle and pulled her back into his body. "Don't do this..." he whispered into her hair. "Please... I am sorry for behaving like an idiot."

"Jack, leave me alone..." she whispered and turned her head slightly to brush his cheek with hers.

He touched her lips with his softly and wrapped his arms around her. "Let's not talk about the rebels anymore. I don't care, Irina... I want you. I want to spend this day with you. Let's forget about everything else..."

"Jack..." Her voice was almost a whimper. "I can't... if you weren't my enemy, if you weren't one of the queen's counselors... but we can't change things. You will always fight the rebels and I will always fight the queen. And that means that we will always fight each other. How could I forget that for just one second?"

She closed her eyes when his lips nuzzled at her neck and caressed her sensitive spots. After a short moment, he let her go and lifted her up onto her mare.

"I will show you something – a place you will surely like." Jack announced. "Just give me a short moment to pass the last orders to the soldiers."

Irina watched him walk away and closed her eyes. All she wished for was, that she could take Jack's offer and just be with him and never leave him. But the reasonable part inside her knew that this was just impossible. Jack Bristow was charming and nice, not at all like she would have imagined a counselor of the queen to be, yet, the fact remained that he was standing on the wrong side – no matter how much she wished that it was different or how much she started to like him, she was still his prisoner. Although they shared wonderful nights full of passion and desire, that was the only thing that connected them. Beyond that, they were enemies. Their little affair was fun, but she must never forget that it was just that: an affair. In the back of her mind, a small voice asked whom she was trying to fool here, but she pushed it away quickly. An affair – nothing more!

Jack was concerned about Irina's outburst and the opinion she had of the queen. What had she experienced that made her fear the men of the queen more than the rebels?

When Jack returned, Irina was completely under control again. He lifted himself onto his horse and made sure that she was ready to go.

"We will go westwards until we reach the seashore." He announced, and they set into motion.

For a long time neither of them spoke, Irina just observed Jack from the corner of her eyes. Although she didn't want him to notice her interest, she had to admit that he was the most attractive man she had ever seen. Not only was he looking good, he could be charming if he wanted to, and in a strange sort of way, she had a feeling that he was also just - at least she got the impression that he was.

Finally, after they had almost been quiet ten minutes, Jack started to tell Irina about the country they were riding through. It was a beautiful landscape, full of smaller forests and lots of fields. Most of the land was not cultivated and consisted only of grass and flowers.

When they reached the seashore, the land became rockier and the ground was, although still covered with grass, more uneven.

"Five generations ago, this whole land was split into smaller counties," Jack explained, "they all belonged to my great-great-great-grandfather though. He had gained them by robbing the landlords, and then bought their land for a split of what it was worth."

"So your ancestor was an outlaw." Irina stated amused, and Jack shrugged his shoulders.

"Not exactly. Robbing landlords was only a minor one of his crimes. He earned his living as a pirate. On the sea, he robbed the ships of the government, murdered the sailors and kept the treasures. If there were women on board, he kidnapped them and blackmailed their families for ransom."

"How charming..." Irina murmured with an ironic side glance at the man. "Impressive how nothing changes over the centuries."

Jack only raised his eyebrows at her provocation but didn't go into it, instead he pointed at a cliff formation in the distance. "Do you see those cliffs over there? It is said that deep inside there is a cave – the cave my ancestor used as a hiding place."

"It is said?" Irina asked, her interest rising now. "So you don't know it for sure?"

"No. There is an entrance, but it is too dangerous to follow the way inside. Over the years, the sea has corrupted the stone and in some parts it is loose like sand. One could easily be buried in there... or fall down into holes or gorges, therefore..."

He wasn't able to finish the sentence, since all of a sudden Irina spurred her mount and galloped towards the cliffs.

It took Jack some time to react, then he started to scowl and followed her under curses. He had the faster horse, but Irina had the advantage of ten seconds.

She moved the mare along the edge of the cliff, and when she then reached the point where all of a sudden the cliffs got higher and formed a rocky mountain at the sea, she stopped the horse and jumped off its back. Fascinated she stared at the huge formation, while she bound the horse to a large tree.

Jack reached her only a few seconds later, jumped of his horse and grabbed her harshly. "What the hell was that?" he snapped and turned her towards him. She returned his look and freed herself.

"I wanted to see this place."

"You could have told me that you wanted to come here."

"Why, did you think I was trying to escape?" she asked amused and then turned around. Jack silently shook his head. While he tied his horse to the tree next to the mare, Irina went to the edge of the cliffs and looked down into the foamy breakers. She estimated that they were around 90 feet above the sea – the rocks Jack had told her off were even another 50 feet higher.

"Careful." Jack whispered next to her ear and wrapped his arms around Irina's waist when she bent further over the edge. "If you fall down there, you will never be found again. Nobody can help you. This coastline isn't called the cliffs of damnation for no reason."

Irina froze for a moment and pressed herself back against Jack's body. "That sounds as if people have already died here."

"Hundreds." Jack confirmed. "The ground around these cliffs is very dangerous because it has perniciously sharp rocks under the water. Many ships sank because they grounded on one of those rocks. None of the sailors who were on those ships was ever seen again and until fifty years ago, nobody dared to come here at night."

"Why, because of ghosts?" Irina asked amused, and Jack nodded.

"Exactly. It was said that at night, the souls of the dead sailors returned from the under the sea to moan and make the world know of their misery. And if they met a human being, they pushed him over the edge of the cliff in order to have company in their lonely, wet grave down there."

Irina shivered. "Are you trying to scare me?"

Jack chuckled and pulled her closer. "No, why? Are you scared?"

"No!" Irina proclaimed and tried to sound self-secure, but the shivering of her body betrayed her true emotions. Although she did not actually believe in ghosts, she also didn't strictly exclude the possibility of their existence. And the thought of dead, pale sailors who pulled poor people into the deadly waves was not one she wished to have on her mind for the rest of the day. "Tell me more about your ancestor." She inquired. "Something beautiful – not scary."

Jack smiled and brushed her cheek with his lips in a soft gesture. "One day, Jonathan Bristow II. robbed one of the bigger ships of a rich salesman and took a female prisoner. She was an elegant lady, the daughter of the salesman, and was on the way to her marriage. He brought her into his hiding place and held her there for many months."

"That is not beautiful!" Irina exclaimed. "Why did he hold her there? Did her family not pay?"

"No, they didn't. Because being abducted on the way to her marriage was too much shame for them. She had been alone with a man without a lady to accompany her, even more, she was in the hands of an outlaw. Her family assumed, that she had been raped anyway, so to them, she had become worthless, because if she returned, no man would take her as his wife anymore. She was dishonored."

"Poor woman, cruel man..." Irina said, and Jack smiled slightly.

"Not exactly. She was my great-great-great-grandmother."

"She married the man who had destroyed her luck and brought the shame upon her?"

"No, she married the man she loved." Jack corrected her softly. "During the months of being held prisoner, Alicia and Jonathan had a lot of time to talk and get to know one another. Although he was a pirate, he had a higher education and manners. He did not touch her once and protected her against the robbers who served under him. So instead of killing her after her family refused to pay for her, he asked her if she wanted to become his wife, and she agreed. They married, because they had fallen in love."

Irina gave a short laughter. "Jack, please. I'm sure she didn't love him. She was forced to marry him. Her family wouldn't pay, so she had no way to get free. You ancestor probably gave her the option to choose between death and marrying him. God knows how any times she tried to flee..."

"In the beginning after her capture, yes..." Jack replied, looking at her intensely. "Then she fell truly in love with him."

"How do you know that she wasn't unhappy and plotted ways to kill her husband every day? Maybe she thought about pushing him down these cliffs at night – nobody would have asked questions, because everybody would have blamed it on the ghosts."

Jack cocked his head amused. "I have my grandmother's diary, which she started to write the day she was captured." He said with a soft smile. "And no, she never considered that possibility. I am considering being more careful around you from now on, though."

Irina gave a soft laugh and touched his hands in a tender gesture. Suddenly she became aware of how intimate that gesture was. Their whole situation was way too close. They talked to each other like lovers would.

Clearing her throat, Irina loosened herself from Jack and went a few steps along the edge. Impressed, she touched the rocks and looked up to the higher cliffs. Some seagulls flew in the sky, landed and started from the rocks with typical shrieks.

Irina pulled her coat tight around her body when the wind grew stronger. She went along the rocks, away from the edge. Jack followed her in some distance.

"How far do those rocks go?" Irina asked.

"Some kilometers along the coastline. Most of it doesn't belong to my property anymore."

They followed the way along the rocks for some time, bringing more and more distance between them and the dangerous edge of the cliffs. Soon the only thing that let them know that they were still close to the sea was the sound of the breakers against the stones.

Irina enjoyed the beauty of the landscape. They were now shielded against the cold wind from the see by the high rocky reef and so the sun warmed them. When she reflected, Irina couldn't remember ever having been in a more beautiful place. She breathed in the fresh, salty air deeply while they walked.

Jack was just about to propose that they turn and go back, when Irina pointed at a small entry into the stone in the distance.

"Is that the entry to the cave system?" she asked, and Jack knew he didn't like the fascination in her voice. For a moment he considered saying no, but then he realized that he had never seen her so interested and happy before.

"Yes, it is," he said. "If you want, we can go closer, but then we should soon turn around. We have to be back for tea."

Irina grabbed the lower folds of her dress to be able to go faster. Jack chuckled at her enthusiasm and followed her. When they reached the entry, Irina looked almost disappointed.

"That's it?" The entry wasn't even big enough for her to go through when fully standing. She bent a little to peek inside. "Wow, there are dozens of smaller holes in the ceiling through which light comes in."

Before Jack had a chance to hold her back, she had disappeared in the darkness.

"Irina!" Jack said and bent down. "It's dangerous to go in there. You shouldn't..."

There was a short spark and then the darkness was filled with the light of a wooden stick, Irina had lighted at the stone wall. She smiled when she saw his stunned face.

"My father taught me." She explained. "The advantages of being involved in the life of a smuggler." She turned and looked into the dark tunnel.

"Irina, I would really feel better if you came out of there."

"Just a moment..." she replied fascinated and went further into the darkness.

Jack cursed when she didn't react to his demand to come back, but continued to go deeper into the rocky tunnel. Determined, he followed her, careful not to slip on the uneven ground. When he had reached her, she had already made ten meters. Jack grabbed her wrist.

"Irina, this is too dangerous. The stone is unstable in many parts of the caves, and we may get buried in here."

"It doesn't look unstable." She touched the rocky wall to her left. "In fact, I think it is quite massive." She loosened from his grip and continued her way.

"Irina, you will turn around at once." Jack yelled, irritated now. "Don't make me carry you out of here, because then you will have a problem."

"Jack, don't you want to know what secret it carries?"

"Not for the risk of getting buried, no." He replied dryly, following her unwillingly. He knew that she was determined to follow the tunnel, and if he refused to go with her, she would do it alone. "You know, women are usually afraid of dark caves."

"Yes... but I am not!" Irina said, not really listening, but watching her step.

"Unfortunately," Jack murmured and held his hands out to catch her when she slipped on a loose stone and had almost fallen. "You are the most stubborn person I have ever met."

"I am alright," Irina calmed him and pushed his arms away softly. "Was Jonathan Bristow happy?"

"Yes," Jack said, his hand still at Irina's waist to be able to hold her in case of danger. "He and Alicia were the happiest couple ever. They had two children. Sadly, their relationship wasn't meant to last long."

"But you said..."

"Alicia died when giving birth to a third child. So did the baby. Only a few months later, Jonathan Bristow was captured by soldiers of the queen. He was executed only two days later."

Irina looked at Jack in honest sympathy for the tragic lovers. "And the children?"

"They were adopted by two rich families and given a noble education. When the eldest son, Roland, was old enough and had married, the queen gave some of the land that his father had owned, back to him. Over the decades, my family regained more and more of the old property by serving the queen."

"How noble," Irina murmured sarcastically, "selling ones ideals to a woman just to get one's property back. I would have just taken it back. Where is the spirit to fight for something?"

Jack laughed. "You sound like a warrior. I'm sure some centuries earlier you would have made a great knight." Softly he took her hand and kissed her knuckles. "I think I prefer the lady though."

Her eyes met his in the flickering light of the flare, and he noticed that she blushed slightly. "You don't know the lady..." she said softly.

"I have to disagree... you've shown her to me in many ways." His hand touched her cheek, while his lips lowered to hers. Irina stared into his eyes, desperate to feel his mouth on hers, but at the same time unwilling to admit how much she longed for his caress. Still torn inside, she didn't even realize that her grip around the flare loosened. When Jack's lips touched hers, she accidentally dropped it. With an echoing sound it hit the stony ground and rolled over the uneven stones into a small mule filled with water. The next moment they were surrounded by darkness.

"I'm sorry," Irina murmured, and Jack sighed, laying his forehead against hers. Both of them started laughing in amusement about their situation. Blindly they felt for the wall in order to feel their way out.

"You know, you would make a great warrior." Jack mused. Irina's grip around his arm tightened, while he led her carefully along the way back.

"That was actually your fault." Irina replied. "If you hadn't – um – distracted me, there would have been no reason for me to drop the flare."

"So I distracted you? Good."

"Don't make it sound as if it was anything of importance." She replied flirtatiously.

"Well, if I distract you, to me that is something of importance, because there's nothing I like more than distracting you. Of course, I have other kinds of distraction in mind..."

"Did you hear that?" Irina suddenly interrupted him, stopping and turning back. For a moment, both stopped breathing and just listened into the silence, but except for the sound of the waves against the cliffs from somewhere deeper in the caves, they couldn't hear anything.

"Hear what?" Jack finally asked softly, and Irina hushed him.

"I heard footsteps behind us... maybe twenty meters."

Again they listened concentrating, then finally Jack gave a short laugh. "You are fantasizing."

"Stop making fun of me, I am sure there is somebody behind us."

"Stop being ridiculous. Who should be here? Do you see any light back there? Nobody could walk in these caves without a flare."

"How can you know, if you have never been in here?"

"Irina..." Jack warned, but she interrupted him.

"Jack, I have been in situations like this. I have learned to recognize the signals of being followed or observed. And I am aware if somebody is in a cave with me. I swear to you, there is somebody there."

She didn't sound frightened, just a little worried. Jack was just about to tell her, that nobody had been in this cave for years when there was the sound of rumbling stones about thirty meters behind them. For a moment it sounded as if somebody was going away from them, but then there was silence again.

"I told you," Irina whispered. For another moment they stood there, concentrating on the silence. Then Jack remembered that he had a woman with him. If he were alone, he would have tried to find out who was using this cave as a hiding place, but with Irina as his company, that was of course not an option.

"Come on, let's get out of here," he finally decided.

"Jack, do you not want to know, who's..." she started, but Jack cut her off.

"We are not searching this cave. We will return to the manor now. And we are not going to discuss this," he said. Irina's face darkened, but she followed him until they stepped out into the light again. Then she pulled her arms away from him.

"Do never ever give me an order again," she warned menacingly, then turned and went back in the direction of the horses. Jack sighed and looked after her. It was probably wise to apologize. Of course, he didn't really feel sorry. He was just glad that Irina was no longer pursuing the idea of exploring the tunnels. Later, he would send out a team of his soldiers to make sure nobody would enter the cave again.

He ran the last meters until he had reached Irina and took her hand into his. "You were right." His voice sounded absolutely serious, and his eyes met hers apologizing. "I had no right to order you around." He lifted her hand and pressed a deep kiss into her palm. Irina couldn't help but slow down at this tender gesture. Again he confused her, not only his reactions, but also his closeness – it was the kind of confusion she didn't understand.

Carefully she pulled her hand away from him. "Don't do that..." she murmured. He smiled at her reaction and allowed her some space when they moved on. Irina paid attention to have a certain distance between them and wrapped her arms around her body. "Why aren't you married?"

Her question, that came suddenly and out of he blue, put him off for a moment. "Um... you know I am married actually." He joked, then became serious. "I didn't find the right woman for me – up to now."

She didn't react, but kept looking straight forward. "And how does that woman have to be? The right one, I mean?"

"Difficult question." Jack murmured and looked at her. "Beautiful, hot-tempered, unconventional and passionate."

"Are you making fun of me?" Irina asked slightly aggressive, and Jack chuckled.

"Not at all, I assure you." He replied and folded his hands behind his back. "So how does the man of your dreams have to be?"

"Independent, self-reliant, unconventional and strong – but also handsome and passionate, and dangerous to a certain point." She sighed. "But actually there's no space for a husband in my life – maybe someday when the work of our group is done."

"By the work, you mean murdering the queen, I assume," he noted dryly, as if talking about the weather. Irina shot him a side glance, surprised by his coolness.

"Mostly, yes," she admitted. Jack decided that this was probably a good moment to ask her directly for the truth. Maybe he should try to learn it from her before his spies brought him the information.

"Tell me what happened that you hate the queen so much," he said softly, and Irina looked at him for a long moment.

"You probably think that my family is just helping the rebels, because we are bloodthirsty," she murmured, but Jack shook his head.

"No, not at all. On the contrary – which is why I am wondering how charming ladies like you and your sisters could get involved so deeply with revolutionists."

"We weren't always on that side. When my father was young, he supported the kingdom as much as you do. He was a patriot. But..." she looked in the distance, then suddenly forced a smile. "Why don't we go to the beach? Is there a place where you can sit directly at the waves here?"

Jack frowned at the change of topic, but didn't allow her to notice it. Every time he tried to talk to her about the past of her family, she blocked and didn't let him in. His spies should have soon brought him some information that would hopefully lead him to the truth. He needed to know why she was involved with the terrorists.

"Yes..." he finally answered her question. "It's small, but you're going to like it. Let's go there!"


	21. The Truth of a Heart

**Part 20 – The Truth of a Heart**

Irina was surprised when Jack lifted her gallantly off her horse and only let her go after he had made sure that she was standing securely. Then he turned and looked over the small part of the beach. It was only a bay that they had reached through a large tunnel the sea had made over the centuries when it had still been higher. The ground was covered with grass, but closer to the water it slowly turned into sand and smaller pebbles.

Irina's eyes glowed when she looked around. She strolled toward a larger tree and leaned against it in the shadow. Jack observed her for a long time until their eyes met. The expression in his eyes was tender and promising. Irina caught her breath for a moment, trying not to fall for the hidden wishes in her heart.

She dropped her eyes to the ground and away from him, hoping that he didn't notice the feelings that were battling in her chest.

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

She started when she suddenly heard Jack's voice right next to her ear, and her heart seemed to skip a beat when his hands found their old place on her waist. "It's breathtaking," Irina agreed. She fought the need to turn around and do what she wanted to do most – kiss him.

If Jack weren't her enemy, she had to admit, she would be really tempted to seduce him. Not only was he wealthy, his property was also the most beautiful in England. The woman he would marry would be a really happy person, she admitted silently and with a certain wistfulness in her heart.

"You know that you have an advantage?" Jack mentioned all of a sudden, and Irina turned her head slightly in confusion.

"How is that?"

"I've told you everything about my ancestors – you've told me nothing about yours." He felt her stiffen in his arms.

"Why do you want to know about my family so desperately?" She tried to evade him – again – but this time Jack was unwilling to give in.

"I am interested in you. We've been together for almost four weeks, yet I don't know any more about you than I did the day we met. I like mysterious women Irina, but at some point I need to know more." Although spoken urgently, his voice was full of tenderness, and Irina felt her heart grow heavier. "I respect you, Irina. You should know that by now – and then you should also know that I would never use any information against you. I am shielding you from the royal law. I am your friend. Do you still not trust me?"

"I... I do trust you." Her voice could barely be heard. "I trust you more than I probably should." She fell into a long silence while she weighed the advantages and disadvantages of telling him the story. If he didn't learn the truth from her, she was sure he would sooner or later find another way. "My mother was from Russia," she eventually started, "she was from a small noble family there. My father met her when he was out of the country, and they fell in love. Three weeks afterwards, they were married against the will of her parents. My mother went with my father back to England and nine months later, Katya was born."

"That sounds as if your mother was very lonely here."

"No, she had my father. He taught her the English language. Obviously my mother's father had thought that her love for my father was only a passion and would merely end up being an affair. He hadn't expected the marriage to last that long. My mother wrote a letter to her parents every year, and finally they were convinced that she had not harmed the family's honor. After I was born, she received letters from her family that included invitations – yet somehow, she never had the time to meet her family again, before she was killed." Irina paused and took a deep breath.

"What happened?" Jack asked softly.

"I don't remember much of that day. I know that it was very sunny, and I can still remember that Katya and I drove mother crazy the whole time. The kitchen servants had baked strawberry cake all day, and Katya and I were always trying to steal some. In the end, my father smuggled a whole cake out for us, and the three of us ate it in the garden. Mother was furious when she found out." Irina smiled at the faint memory that came up in her mind, but then her expression darkened when she went on. "Then, in the night I was suddenly awakened by the sound of horses and men yelling outside the house. My mother came running into our room, and dragged Katya and me out of our beds. I didn't understand what was happening back then, but I saw the tears in her eyes, and they frightened me. She ordered me and Katya to run away as fast as we could and hide somewhere in the woods before they could find us. Katya immediately understood what was going on. I don't know, maybe I was too young or too stubborn to understand the urgency and danger that was lying in her order. However, I begged her to come with us or at least send father with us. When she refused, I held onto her legs and yelled at her that I wouldn't go either. It was the first time in my life that she slapped me. I was so shocked, I couldn't even cry. It wasn't so much that she had been violent with me, but the fear that was present in her eyes…not fear for her own life, but fear for mine.

She bent down and gave me her necklace. She promised me that she would come after us but that I had to go now, and when we met in the woods, I should return the necklace to her.

Katya dragged me across the floor and out of the backdoor. We just ran as fast as we could – still I could hear the screams... my mother was screaming for help and I think deep inside I knew that I would never see her again.

I don't know how long we hid in the woods, it seemed like days to me. Sometime in the night I ran away from Katya, back to the house. The doors were standing open, most of the wood was shattered and the windows were broken. I found my mother in the kitchen, dead.

Those bastards of the queen had raped her before they killed her. My father was gone. I stayed there with my mother until Maggie found me – Maggie, who later became our maid. My father had been arrested, but managed to escape and returned to us. He swore to take revenge for my mother's death and collaborated with the rebels he had been fighting up to then.

That's why he raised my sisters and me into that world. He wanted us to be able to defend ourselves, not be helpless victims like my mother was. And most of all he wanted us to never depend on people, so we would never be betrayed."

Jack didn't know what to say, so immense was his shock. Therefore he took Irina's hand in his and kissed her palm deeply, pressing her closer against him.

"The queen ordered the raid on your house?" he asked carefully after some time, and Irina nodded.

"Yes, the men were soldiers of the queen. Some time afterwards, I heard my father talk about the evening to one of his rebel friends. He never ever talked about it to us again, but that night, one of my father's friends came to us, and they talked. I couldn't resist staying behind the door and listening. Obviously the soldiers had a letter of the queen that allowed them to use every possible means to reveal that my father was involved with the terrorists. The queen had given them carte blanche to torture my mother in order to make my father confess – which he eventually did in order to stop them from hurting my mother. But instead they raped and killed her in front of his eyes. That is how kind and just your queen is."

"It is not," Jack corrected softly. "The queen would never tolerate methods like that. And neither would the men who lead the soldiers."

Irina spun around, her eyes filled with tears and now sparkling with fury. "I have been there, Jack! And I have seen the man who led the soldiers, and I will never forget his face again. Everything that happened that night is blurred and has become like a shadow in my head – but his face is still so vivid and clear, as if it had been yesterday! He was wearing the uniform, and he had the letter! How should that be possible if he was not in the counsel of the queen? Do you know what your soldiers are doing at the moment?"

Jack pulled her against him softly. "I apologize. I did not mean to question what you told me. I just tried to make clear that there was possibly a soldier acting against the queen's orders. Rape or murder of women is never included as means in those letters. Whoever led that group of soldiers acted against the law, even if your father was suspected."

"My father was not involved with the terrorists then! He was in the counsel of the queen, just like you are now. He was fighting the smugglers!" Irina's voice was trembling, and Jack looked at her, slowly understanding what her words meant.

"He was a counselor?" That didn't make sense, but at least it was a reason why he hadn't been able to find information about Irina's family. Affairs that concerned the members of the royal counsel were always treated highly confidentially. In most cases, only the queen knew the real circumstances. "Irina, what happened that night was against the law, your father knew that. He should have gone to the queen, instead of collaborating with terrorists."

"Would you seek help from the woman who just had your wife killed and had you arrested?"

Jack had to admit that he wouldn't. Still, the happenings didn't make sense to him. "When your father was an active participant in the combat against the terrorists, why would he be raided at night? Even more, why would his family be brought into the affair? There has never been a case where something like that happened." His eyes met Irina's, and he took her hands into his. "Will you allow me to do some research about the background of the raid?"

"Why?" Irina asked, loosening from him. Her voice was filled with anger. "Why do you want to revive the past?"

"Irina, I am just thinking that maybe we are both wrong in our conclusions. Maybe I am wrong, and they were men of the queen – and you are wrong, because the queen didn't sanction it. If that is the case, then the murder of your mother and the robbery of your family was a crime that must not be tolerated. The people who are responsible have to pay for that."

"Jack..." Irina started desperately, not sure whether to thank him for his sympathy or yell at him for his stubbornness.

"Irina, I don't want to wake ghosts. I just want to find out the truth for you – and for your mother. Didn't your father want the responsible persons to pay? I promise you, it will be a discreet investigation. I will counsel the queen personally – nobody is ever going to know."

"No, Jack! NO! You are not going to talk to that... woman about this!"

"Irina..."

"Jack, what makes you so sure that she wasn't behind this! You just assume that she isn't responsible due to your loyalty to your kingdom, but what if you are wrong. Then you blow my cover, and I will be executed as a traitor. If you plan to go to the queen, tell me now, because then I am going to run away. You promised to be my friend! I trusted you, you damned bastard... I will never..."

"Shhh..." Jack stopped her raging outburst by closing her mouth with his in a deep, tender kiss. "Please calm down. If you don't want me to, I won't talk to the queen." He then whispered against her lips.

"Swear to god." Irina replied, laying her hands on his cheeks.

"I swear." He sealed his promise with a series of passionate kisses. For another moment, they were lost in the closeness of each other, and for a split second Jack wondered how their future should look. Given the present circumstances, they could under no circumstances be together. He was committing a crime by hiding the circumstances under which they had met – not to mention his being married to her. Their only chance might be if she went to the queen and begged for a pardon agreement. Given her past and the background of her experiences, the sentence would be a mild one. The queen would take away their property and title, but most likely not even send them to prison. Jack was sure though, that he would never be able to convince Irina or one of her sisters to go to the queen – and the worst was, that he could understand her reasons. Now he could understand why she had gone to the rebels, and he knew that he would have probably acted the same.

When Irina loosened from his body after some time, she looked flushed, and Jack himself felt out of breath. She took some steps backward, not losing Jack with her eyes, before she turned around and hurried towards the water.

"Irina, what are you doing?" Jack was confused when he saw that she opened her dress and dropped it to the sand.

"I need a swim to free my head." Words said, she climbed onto a rock and dove into the water headfirst. For a moment, he was seriously scared that she had hurt herself or planned to drown herself, but when she resurfaced, he had to admit that she was an excellent swimmer. Actually, this was a fact that shouldn't have surprised him. A woman that could light a wooden stick on a stone wall could most likely swim like a fish, he mused.

Shaking his head, he started to pull off his own clothes, until he was only wearing his underpants. He liked the thought of swimming and besides, if anything happened to Irina, he was closer to her if in the water. Just as Irina had done before, he headed into the water. He dove the way towards Irina and surfaced right in front of her.

She gave a short laugh in shock. "Jack!"

"Be careful, the ground is very uneven and the rocks under water are vicious and sharp."

"For a soldier, you have a very low tolerance of excitement and adventure." Irina teased him and splashed a little wave of water towards him. Jack smiled.

"Oh, I am not worried for myself. I am an excellent swimmer. But you are wearing a dress! How you are able to swim in that at all is a puzzle to me." He replied amused and splashed water back at her.

"What do you suggest? Swimming without it?" Irina asked laughing. The waves they used against each other getting gradually higher.

Jack laughed under his breath, trying to evade the water she was hitting into his face. "I wouldn't mind..." he clarified and another wave of water hit him. Finally, he succeeded in grabbing Irina's wrists and pulled her against his chest. "Careful, milady. Usually I don't fight with women, but if I am tempted I might get a little rough..."

Irina lifted her head until their lips almost brushed. Only a hair-breadth of distance was left between them. "I like you getting rough..." she breathed seductively, noticing his gasp at her teasing. But before he could react, she freed herself in a clever move, swimming like a fish towards the beach.

When she had brought ten meters distance between them, she turned and cocked her head, trying to find balance on the uneven ground.

"What, are you giving up against a woman?" she asked in disbelief, and Jack's eyes sparkled when he took her challenge.

"I was just giving you an advantage. I didn't want to win by unfair rules."

"I assure you, your consideration is totally inappropriate. I should probably be the one who gives you an advantage."

"The words of a true lady," Jack teased her.

"You don't believe me?" Irina asked amused, enjoying their little challenge.

"Prove yourself." Jack said, slowly reducing the distance between them. "We'll swim out until we are fifty meters from the beach. I will give you five meters advantage, and if I manage to catch you before you reach the sand, I win. Are you on?"

Irina nodded. "Of course. But don't think I would make it easy for you."

"I never expected that, but you better not expect that I will make it easy for you, either."

"I would feel insulted if you did." She followed Jack slowly out, until they were in deeper water. When Jack stopped, Irina started to tremble from the coolness of the water. Closer to the beach, where the water was two meters deep at the most, she hadn't felt the icy coolness as she did now.

"Are you sure you want to do that?" Jack asked once again. He didn't seem affected at all by the low temperature – and if he was, he didn't let her know.

"I am okay." After she had positioned herself five meters ahead of Jack, her eyes met his in the silent question to give a signal, but Jack left that honor to her.

"I will be ready whenever you are." He said. "Just start swimming."

He didn't have to tell her twice. Irina turned around and started to swim as fast as she could towards the beach. Jack was surprised at how fast she was actually moving and allowed her to gain some distance. He knew there was no need to worry for him. Irina was an excellent swimmer. He didn't doubt that, yet her temper would be her undoing.

Irina wondered why Jack was lagging behind and was already triumphing silently, when she felt her arms getting heavier. No matter how desperately she tried, her muscles didn't obey her will, and instead of swimming faster she lost more and more power. Yet she was too proud to give up. Twenty meters left – ten meters left – when she felt the sand under her feet, she ran more than she was swimming. Her legs gave way, and she crawled the last meters in the water.

When she felt Jack's hand at her ankle, she was too exhausted to let out a frustrated cry. She just gasped for air, and let herself sink into the shallow water. Slowly, she turned onto her back, finding Jack almost immediately leaning over her.

"I am deeply impressed," he whispered at her lips. "You are an amazing swimmer."

"You don't have to be gracious," Irina said, still out of breath.

"I am not. You gave me a hard time..."

"Yet, you won."

"Only because of your strategy. You gave everything at the beginning. In cold water like this you have to save your power – keep a steady pace without giving everything at the beginning. That way you are able to swim longer." His lips were close to hers. "So tell me, what is my prize now?"

"We never talked about..." she started, but wasn't able to finish when Jack lips merged with hers, catching her hands and pinning them to the soft sand. Seductively he teased her, slowly inducing her tongue into a sensual game. After a series of wet, open-mouth kisses, he pulled back, trying to regain control over his actions, but failed. They shouldn't take it too far…after all, they were out in the open. But he didn't listen to his rational mind – he couldn't do so, not with her lips only an inch away from his.

"Tell me to stop." He murmured, his hot breath tickling her skin, and she closed her eyes.

"Don't stop." She replied against her reason. Another passionate love-making was not at all a good idea. Although she was married to Jack in front of the law, their marriage was illegitimate – both of them knew that. And if they didn't keep their hands off each other, she would soon have to worry about more than just getting an annulment. She knew if she became pregnant with Jack's child, no court in the world would annul the marriage – and a divorce was totally out of the question since it would ruin not only her own reputation, but also the one of her family.

All those reasons seemed to fade away from her mind when only one thing stood against them – Jack's body against her, his sweet kisses on her lips, his hands holding hers.

Irina's approval was enough to break the last remains of self-control that were left inside of him. His lips collided with hers, and his tongue started to explore her mouth, causing both of them to shudder. Their tongues fought a short battle for control, then she surrendered, her passionate moan lost in his mouth.

He let go of her wrists, and his hands started to roam over her body impatiently. Her fingers entangled in his hair and pulled him closer against her body. When his hand cupped her breast through her dress, she felt like she was on fire. She arched her back against him.

Her eyes were closed when she laid her head back, biting her lips at the sensational intensity of his hot body and touches, and the cool waves of the ocean were a direct contrast to that heat. His lips nibbled at her chin passionately, his shallow breath tickling her skin until she felt as if he was burning her alive.

"Oh God..." she managed to whisper when a tiny voice inside her made her realize where they were – a voice too weak to be truly acknowledged. She bent her leg and pressed it against his waist, allowing him to roll over even more, so his leg was resting between hers. Totally lost, she gasped for air when his lips closed around her nipple through the thin material of her under dress. He was driving her crazy and made her lose total control over her own actions. He couldn't get enough of her, wanted to feel all of her body against him and taste every single spot of her salty skin. Her soaked dress clung to her body and formed out every shape. His hands wandered over her waist and hips and touched the bare skin of her leg.

Suddenly a large wave of salty water breaking over them caused them to start coughing, forcing them to break contact. The coolness of the water and the shock caused by it startled them both, and they crawled fully onto the sand, both still trembling from the sensation of the other's body.

They had brought some meters distance between them when the realization dawned on them what they had just been doing.

All soaked, they just looked at each other, as if trying to understand what had just happened. Then, without paying attention to the objections in her mind, Irina crawled to Jack until she was kneeling in the sand in front of him. A few stronger waves still reached them and played around their legs when she reunited their lips, running her hands over his well-muscled, bare chest.

Slowly, she urged him backwards until he almost lost balance and had to steady himself with his hands. An almost carefree laugh escaped her lips when in the next moment he was lying completely in the sand with her crawling over him. Her hands ran along his cheeks while she held his eyes almost lovingly.

"I would consider you officially defeated," she teased. He smiled and flipped them over so he could lean over her.

"Only temporarily," he replied in the same tone, lowering his lips to hers. They almost touched, when another wave reached them and almost covered Irina's face completely. Shocked, she shrieked and sat up coughing. When their eyes met, they couldn't help but breaking out in amused laughter.

"I think the ocean is against us," Irina noted dryly.

"I agree, and that is why I suggest we move this to a safer place." And before Irina even realized what was happening, he had lifted her up into his arms and carried her back to the tree where they had dropped their clothes. On the way, he kissed her over and over again, not getting enough of her mouth. At the tree, he set her down carefully and draped his cape over the ground. Then he went to his knees in front of Irina, who was trying to bring her hair back to order. She wasn't even aware of how beautiful she looked to Jack at that moment.

Softly he pulled her hands into his and kissed them. Irina smiled, but after a while, she broke contact and moved onto the cape, never losing his eyes. Slowly, she pulled herself backwards until she was lying fully on the soft ground, then she laid back.

Jack followed her until he was covering her body with his, settling in between her legs. When she gave a soft giggling sound, Jack looked at her questioning.

"What?"

"It's just the clothes... we're all soaked and cold."

"Not for long." He promised and kissed her deeply. She sighed into his mouth and buried her hands in his hair. They lost themselves in a deep and tender kiss, for a moment forgetting everything around them.

"You know, we shouldn't do this," Irina finally murmured against Jack's lips, but didn't sound convinced of her own words at all.

"I know. But the chances that anybody will come by are very low..."

"That's not what I meant." Irina smiled when he tried to catch her lips again with his, and joined in his game by evading him – which offered him several other spots to caress her. "Our affair. Our circumstances, not to mention our state of being married, are not the best preconditions to share each other's bed as lovers." A deep moan escaped her lips, when he started to suck and lick the sensitive spot right behind her ear. Bending her knees, she allowed his body even more contact with hers.

"Don't see me as your lover then." Jack whispered and turned his attention to her earlobe now. "Make love to me as your husband. Be my wife for now."

Irina sighed and laid her head back. "That's even more dangerous..." she murmured and for a short moment their eyes met before she started to smile. "But I have always been attracted to the more dangerous ways of life."

Asking herself what she was doing right here, she turned him onto his back, straddling his lap. She knew this could end only badly. Having played with fire, she would burn now, because the day when she would have to leave Jack would soon come. And that day would be the day her heart broke. Although she already predicted the happenings, she was unable to resist Jack. She was well aware that he would be her undoing, yet she longed for his touches and wanted to be with him. Her fate was obviously inevitable.

Without hurry, she moved her lips over his chest, exploring every inch of skin she could reach. When she reached his soaked pants, she pulled them down and discarded them to the side, admiring his naked body. He allowed her to continue her exploration for a short time, then he held her.

"I am definitely at a disadvantage."

"How is that?" Irina asked amused.

"You get to see the full show, but I..." Before he had ended the sentence, she had pulled the dress over her head and discarded it just as she had his pants before. For a short moment she looked around at the beach, scanning the surroundings for observers, but when she found none, she returned her full attention to Jack.

"Better?" she asked seductively, and he could only nod in appreciation. Satisfied, she resumed her exploration of his body. While her lips moved over his neck and chin to finally meet with his mouth again, her skilled hands wandered over his abdomen and finally ran along the length of his shaft. His deep moan was silenced by her lips. She nibbled his lower lip and then moved her head down his body to where her hands where busy.

He moaned her name when he felt her hot breath on his erection. The next moment her lips were on him, the silky warmth of her mouth around him. His reason faded to black and the world started to spin in front of his eyes. Her tongue started to play around him, pushing him higher and higher towards a sweet oblivion. When he felt that he couldn't take it any longer, he pulled her away from him, his breath shallow and skin flushed.

"Stop now."

Irina moved up to his lips, in her eyes a playfully disappointed expression. "That was something I will only do for a husband and you are telling me you didn't like it?" she teased flirtatiously.

"That was not the reason, and you know that," he gasped and turned her onto her back. "You have to be more careful in what you do, if you don't want certain things to end very quickly."

"So little control? Milord, I am shocked..." She laughed, when he reacted to her teasing by starting to kiss her roughly.

"Somebody has definitely too much control over his actions..." he breathed against her mouth and moved his hands up and down her sides. "I have to change that at once." His lips closed around her nipples, starting a soft and unhurried exploration of her body. Slowly his lips found their path along her belly while he tried to calm down.

Surely Irina was a woman who knew exactly what action had what kind of effect on a man and even more, she knew how to use those actions. Jack smiled inwardly when he imagined how Lady Courtney, a woman he had once had an affair with, would have reacted in a situation like this. With the most insulted look she was capable of, she would have told him that a lady was never supposed to take action during intercourse and that a lady would never ever show her body out in the open. They had had conversations about those topics, and the lady had been determined to remain controlled and cold – even when they where in bed.

Since it had only been a love affair – which basically consisted of sexual intercourse – he had soon ended it and silently understood the husband of the lady, who had run away to Spain to marry the daughter of a renowned salesman.

Irina was so unlike the women he knew as day was unlike from night. But it was not only her passion, her willingness to explore, that he adored about her. It was her spirit, her liveliness that suddenly made him feel alive. Being thirty-five years old, he was certainly not the youngest anymore, but she seemed to change him.

"Jack..." Her breathless whimper made him smile.

"So little control, Milady?" he teased her, tickling her ear with his tongue.

She wanted to tell him that it was her nature to be impatient, but his next move stole away her breath and replaced the world in front of her eyes with a sparkling universe of stars that never seemed to end.

Slowly, he explored her core with his fingers, at first teasing her clit relentlessly. Then he moved two fingers inside her, searching for that spot that he knew brought her close to the edge.

The deep moan that escaped her lips, showed him that he had found it. Relentlessly, he continued to push her higher and higher towards heaven with his fingers while his lips licked at her neck and whispered sweet caresses against her hot and sweaty skin. It was a silent challenge between them, an ever so tender battle for control, and Jack felt that she was reluctant to let herself go completely - unwilling to admit that she couldn't control her feelings as she wanted to. Yet that was what he needed. If only for one time, he wanted to feel that the ever present barrier between them was gone, that there was not only a physical connection, but a spiritual one – that she was completely his.

"Irina..." His voice was throaty with desire, and he felt that he wouldn't be able to hold back much longer. "Come for me," he whispered into her ear, and her fingers closed almost painfully around his arm.

"Jack... wait... don't..." The rest of her sentence was lost in a desperate whimper when she laid her head back.

"Please, let go... will you do that for me?" he continued to seduce her with words and felt her grip on his hand tighten even more, uncontrolled moans escaping her lips. And then she felt the world explode – the oxygen she breathed didn't seem nearly enough to save her from the unconsciousness when the orgasm waved over her so intensely that every wall she had so properly built around her seemed to fall down in pieces.

Jack felt her shiver in his arms when she shattered, giving every ounce of her soul to him.

"I love you..." he whispered into her ear, over and over again. The three words – although their meaning seemed the most impossible and forbidden one – made her feel weak and set her free at the same time. Never ever had she heard more beautiful words.

"I love you..." she breathed against his neck, even before she was able to keep herself from saying them. "Oh god... Jack, I love you so much."

A silent tear ran down her cheek when she realized that she had never spoken truer words – that this was probably the only truth that mattered and that to understand she had lived. For the first time in her life she felt complete – a completion in which every shadow and problem that was lying between them, became a shining light of hope that guided their way.

Slowly, Irina opened her eyes, her breath still shallow. She lifted her head a little and met Jack's lips in a soft, almost insecure kiss. Making sure that she was lying comfortably, he moved his body between her legs. Their eyes were locked when he entered her deeply.

She felt desire return immediately and pulled his body closer until his skin was burning on hers, their heartbeats becoming one.

"Jack..." she breathed against his cheek, encouraging him to move faster. He reunited his lips with hers as his pace increased. Then his lips moved over her chin and then over her cheeks, tasting the salt of her tears. He kissed them away, tenderly soothing her fears with his caresses and pulling her into the whirl of desire once again. When he came, she followed him only a second later, and although her second climax was not nearly as earth-shattering as the first had been, his closeness robbed her breath.

Five minutes later, they where still trembling, although their heartbeat had slowly returned to normal. Like cold water, the cruel truth of reality returned to their conscious mind. Irina closed her eyes, unable to stand the weakness and vulnerability she felt inside. Desperately, she turned to her side and buried her face in her hands.

"Oh God," she whispered, unable to believe what had just happened.

Jack pulled her closer and snuggled against her back, his arms wrapping around her. She tried to loosen herself from him, but he held her softly in place.

"Jack, we can't... I can't... please, let me go..."

"I won't," he murmured softly, but determined. "I will not allow you to leave me again... not after what we shared – after what you said." His hands ran carefully through her hair. "I love you, Irina."

She didn't answer, but her fingers moved tenderly over his hand, holding it close to her heart.

"And I promise you, I will never hurt you... let me be your husband." Jack whispered, kissing her softly.

For a long time she didn't move at all, millions of thoughts rushing through her mind. All her fears were reflected in a short moment. Finally, Irina closed her eyes and nodded with tears in her eyes. "Yes." She replied simply, realizing that she was willing to give up everything for Jack – her ideals, her hate, even the love of her family.

They remained under the tree for a long time, neither of them willing to disconnect from the other in the fear that the young bond between them could tear apart. Then finally, Irina smiled sleepily.

"I guess Mrs. Tribbiani is going to be very angry. We missed tea."

Jack couldn't help but start to laugh and kiss the woman, who was now even unofficially his wife. "She will have to live with it. I might skip tea more often from now on."

Irina smiled and leaned her head back against him intimately. "You might also want to not tell her so. She can be a dragon!"

"I am paying her." Jack replied. "If she has a problem with my wishes, she is free to look for another job."

He enjoyed the soft laughter that followed from Irina and decided that he would do everything to make her laugh more often.

"Jack..." Irina murmured thoughtfully and turned her head to look at him. "I - We have to work out a solution for us. You can not hide me for the rest of our lives and...I don't want to be a prisoner for the rest of my life."

"Don't worry... we will find a way." He said with a hint of certainty in his voice. What he didn't tell her was that there was only one way for them to have a life together, and that way was a pardon agreement from the queen. But that meant either that Irina's sisters agreed – or Irina accused them as traitors who weren't willing to cooperate. The first way was not likely to happen. And the second way... he was sure that it would break Irina's heart to have to choose between her sisters or him. And he knew that it would break his as well, because she would never be happy again if her family became her enemy.


	22. Doubts

**Part 21 – Doubts**

_Whenever you doubt my love, just look at the sky. _

_You will find it there, written in the stars._

_('A Love Letter' by Kimberley Jackson)_

The bright sunlight coming through the closed curtains made her blink. With a soft moan she turned onto her side and buried herself deeply in the covers. Every part of her body seemed to ache – a good pain when she remembered the passionate moments that had caused it. She curled up and was just about to drift back to sleep, when the door was opened soundly.

"Did I not tell you, that the lord's room was to be cleaned by ten?" Mrs. Tribbiani's shrill voice startled her. "Stupid thing! Is this what you call clean?"

"Madam, the lord told me..."

"Shut up! I don't want to hear your cheap excuses! I wonder how someone can hire a brat like you..."

The servant started to sob, trying again to explain, but Mrs. Tribbiani didn't even listen to her.

Irina's mood sank and when she was sure that she wouldn't get any more sleep anyway, she sat up and cleared her throat soundly. Both the servant and the mistress of the household started and turned to look at her. The young servant sank to her knees, sobbing even louder now.

"Milady, I am so sorry..."

"Shut up," Mrs. Tribbiani cut her off and pulled her onto her feet. "Do your work! You are not paid for whining like a baby!" She pushed the servant towards the curtains and the girl started to cry even more now. Totally lost, she looked from Irina to the menacingly looking mistress, then back at Irina. Irina smiled.

"It's okay, you can open the curtains."

Relieved, the girl exhaled and started to clean the room. Mrs. Tibbiani folded her arms over her big chest and looked at Irina with a hint of sarcasm on her face.

"And you!" she went towards the bed and tried to pull the blanket away from Irina. "You are certainly not paid for lying around lazily in bed. Even if you grant the lord certain 'favors'," the way she pronounced every syllable of 'favor' with emphasis made clear how much she despised the situation, "you can make yourself helpful during the day. One of the kitchen workers is sick, and we need help. You can take care of onions, can't you?" The woman didn't even try to hide how lowly she thought of Irina.

Irina didn't know what to say. She held on to the sheets of the bed desperately to cover her nakedness. "I don't think I..." she started, but was immediately interrupted.

"The lady thinks she is too good for our work? Let me tell you something then. As long as you are living in this household, you will not just spend your time by lying lazily around. Only because you get to work closer to the lord doesn't mean that you are better than the maids – on the contrary. If I were you, I would be ashamed of myself, and not carry my chin so high."

"What is going on here?"

Irina was almost relieved when James entered the room with his typically stoic expression. When he understood the situation, a hint of anger changed his face. Those who had been around him for some time knew that it took quite an amount of anger to make James lose his countenance.

"Milady, did they wake you?"

"No... no, it's alright." Irina hurried to say, but James was not convinced at all – especially since Mrs. Tribbiani was still holding the sheets that were covering Irina.

"The lord explicitly ordered that she was not to be awakened!" he started to rage, and Irina gasped for air, afraid that the two servants would jump at each other and start a massacre.

"He never gave me that order," the mistress yelled back and what now started was a loud dispute that soon turned into a wave of insults they threw at each other. Irina moaned loudly and held her head, falling back into the cushions. It was still too early for her to be able to stand chaos like this.

"HEY!" Suddenly Jack's voice yelled angrily from the door and immediately the room became as silent as a grave. The man looked in disbelief from Mrs. Tribbiani to James and then to Irina, who looked at him as if he was her guardian angel. Jack understood the situation at once and turned towards the two servants. Mrs. Tribbiani was still looking as if she would like to kill James, but the old butler had regained his control and stern face. "How dare you start an ado like this in front of the lady?" Jack asked, his voice dangerously low. The maid who was cleaning up the room tried to make herself invisible, but was still following the happenings with great interest.

"I think, my orders have been quite clear."

"Yes Sir." James said. "I apologize, Sir, but I couldn't stop this... woman... from acting against your will. And I also apologize to you, Milady. I don't know what came over me." He looked at her with regret in his eyes, and Irina nodded slightly, not exactly knowing what to respond. This was a tricky situation, because if she assured that everything was alright and she didn't feel bothered, she could very easily lose the servant's respect. If she accepted the apology, she would put herself over the servants, and although Jack had made sure yesterday that he fully accepted her as his wife now, she wasn't sure what rights she had. Therefore she kept silent.

"Get out! Both of you!" Jack finally ordered dangerously quiet. "Resume your tasks for the day... and this afternoon I want to see both of you in my study, are we clear?"

"Of course, Milord." Mrs Tribbiani said, her voice suddenly weak and not at all as forceful as it had been three minutes ago.

When the two servants were gone, Jack shook his head and went to Irina. He sat down at the edge of the bed and took her hand to place a soft kiss on it.

"Good morning, my love." When she started to smile, he touched her cheek in a soft gesture. "I will talk to them this afternoon and make clear that I will take every insult against you as an insult against myself. A situation like this will never happen again. So, how did you sleep?"

Irina lifted her hand and touched his face softly. "Wonderfully," she whispered and the love she felt for him inside was reflected in her eyes by the unmistakable softness there. "How long have you been awake?"

"Two hours," Jack replied. "I have to visit the farm house again. The peasant and I have to work out a plan to rebuild the houses as effectively as possible. So, I won't be back before this afternoon." The regret could clearly be heard from his voice. His index finger slowly stroked along the silk skin of her naked shoulder.

"Do you want me to come with you?" Irina was about to sit up, but Jack held her back.

"No. Stay here and rest a little. You must be even more exhausted than I am."

Irina became aware of her aching muscles again and relaxed into the cushions. "But hurry up... will you?"

"I promise... do you want me to post a soldier in front of your door as your personal escort?"

Irina laughed, a sound that he had already missed. "No, I don't think that will be necessary. I am quite capable of defending myself."

"Good... I will see you later then." He got up and wanted to leave the room, when Irina grabbed his hand to hold him back for another second.

"Jack!"

When he turned, he saw her kneeling on the bed, only the most important parts of her body covered by the blanket she was still holding to her body. "Be safe," she whispered, before she laid her lips to his in a tender kiss. He closed his arms around her, feeling her naked, female body under his fingers. When his hands ran over her bare legs, he considered for a moment to just stay here and spend the rest of the day in bed with her. Before he could seriously pursue that idea, he loosened from her and pushed her back softly. First of all the old peasant Gransom was waiting for him and secondly, she needed a little rest – which she would surely not get if he stayed home. Smiling softly, he ran his hand over her cheek once again before he turned and eventually left the room.

Irina leaned back into her cushions, her eyes still fixed on the closed door. She couldn't believe that she had actually agreed to be Jack's wife – that she was really married now. What had driven her to do so? She smiled to herself. Actually it didn't even matter so much to her. For the first time in her life, she felt safe. Even the problems that opened up with their decisions seemed to vanish. What should she tell her sisters? And what could she do to not end up in prison? For the time being, she just relaxed in the peaceful feeling of being loved and safe.

After she had slept for another hour, she took a long bath and got dressed. She chose an especially beautiful dress she had never worn before that underlined her perfectly shaped body. After she had spent another half an hour in front of the mirror, where Sarah was doing her hair, Irina had breakfast. She couldn't help but looking at the clock over and over again.

This is ridiculous, she thought to herself, he has only been gone for a few hours and you miss him already. Something had changed inside her. She was unable to deny how deeply she was in love with Jack, how much he attracted her – not only physically, but also mentally. She enjoyed talking to him or just being close to him – just as they had been last night.

When they had returned from the beach yesterday, it had almost been dark. Irina smiled to herself when she remembered how furious Mrs. Tribbiani had been – especially after she had seen that Irina's hair was ruined, she could well imagine what had caused their late return. If she hadn't already thought of Irina as a whore by then, she surely did now, as the scene earlier that morning had shown.

Jack had ordered a rich dinner to be brought to his personal rooms, then he had lifted her up and carried her all the way into his bedroom.

They had had dinner only wearing thin bathrobes. Unable to keep their hands off each other, they had fed each other and sunk into kisses over and over again, until they had ended up making love in front of the fireplace on the carpet.

Later they had moved it to the bed and loved each other as if there was no tomorrow – forgetting everything around them, especially the time. Between their passionate games they had spent endless moments just lying in each other's arms, talking or not saying anything at all, until they had eventually fallen into an exhausted sleep just as the sun announced the approaching dawn to the east.

Irina sighed at the pleasurable memory of the previous night and stretched herself a little. Fortunately, Jack hadn't accepted her invitation to accompany him to the farm, because she doubted that her muscles would have allowed her to ride today.

She strolled into the library where she had a small breakfast – she didn't have that much hunger at all – and then dedicated herself to the book she was currently reading. Hopefully, it would make the time pass more quickly.

When somebody knocked at he door, Irina jumped up, hoping it would be Jack, but it was only James. Irina smiled friendly when he bowed.

"Milady, we have a visitor." James announced. "Lord Arvin Sloane is here, and he wants to talk to your husband."

"Oh... I..." Irina murmured, unpleasant memories of the ball night coming back to her mind. "When will Jack return?"

"It could be any minute, therefore I thought it better to ask you what to tell Mr. Sloane."

Irina looked at him, then at a point somewhere in the room. She knew, her duty as mistress of the house was to welcome the guest until her husband returned. Sending Lord Sloane away would not only be rude, but also put Jack's reputation in danger. On the other hand, she wasn't sure whether Jack wanted to see Arvin Sloane at all after what had happened at the party a few days ago. He had certainly forgiven her, but what if she welcomed Sloane in his house?

Eventually, Irina decided that she had to go downstairs to greet the visitor. Until now the happenings at the party were an incident only Jack, Sloane and herself knew about. Denying Sloane entry would possibly make it a public affair, and that was the last thing she needed.

"Tell Lord Sloane that I will be downstairs in a few moments," she finally ordered James friendly. The butler smiled faintly and bowed again, then left the room. Irina looked at the book on her lap and then turned her head to stare out of the window. It took her some time to gather her strength, then she remembered the grace and elegance she had always admired in her mother. Naturally, her mother could get really furious and even throw plates at her father, but those outbursts only happened when they were alone. When welcoming guests, her mother had always been a symbol of beauty and grace.

Taking a deep breath, Irina lifted her chin and left the library. When she entered the large living room downstairs, courage left her again for a moment as she caught a glimpse of the man who was standing at the window. Only for an instant, she allowed her uneasiness to take over, then she cleared her throat.

"Lord Sloane, what a pleasure to see you again."

The man turned around, and his eyes widened when he saw Irina. Very ungentlemanly, he looked her up and down, as if she were the very first woman he had ever seen in his life. Immediately, Irina's uneasiness returned. Intuitively, she took a small step back when he came towards her. How she had been able to even think about sleeping with that man was a puzzle to her.

"Lady Irina," He took her hand and placed a kiss on the back of it. "If possible you are even more beautiful than you were at the party."

"You are flattering me, Milord. I am sorry to tell you, that my husband is currently not at home. We expect him back any minute though." She smiled, putting a certain distance into her curtsy, and hoped that he wouldn't try to pursue her offer from the party. "May I offer you a cup of tea?"

Irina didn't even need to say anything, James was immediately there, arranging the cups on the small table that was standing in front of the sofa. She offered Sloane a seat, then sat down herself, choosing the place that allowed the most distance to the man.

James filled their cups with tea, while Irina started a courteous chat about the weather. When she noticed though, that Arvin Sloane's eyes were lying more at her slender neck and the line of her décolleté that formed out her breasts in the most perfect manner, she soon felt embarrassed. For a moment, she hated herself for having chosen this dress only for the vain reason to be beautiful when Jack returned.

James noticed the uneasiness of his mistress and tried to ease the situation by offering cake and cookies.

Irina didn't dare to look at the man opposite to her, the expression in his eyes scaring her. It was not only the way he looked at her, but also the strange feeling that he knew more about her situation than she wanted him too. Well, that was very likely. She tried to calm herself down. After all he was Jack's friend – at least he had been – and therefore, Jack might have told him the truth about the whole situation.

The conversation – if the words they exchanged could be called that – finally reached the point where both kept silent, neither of them saying anything. Irina knew that it was her duty to keep a guest entertained, but every additional second she spent in the presence of this man made her feel more insecure and uneasy.

And so she almost jumped up when suddenly the door opened, and Jack entered the room. He didn't seem surprised by Sloane's visit – most likely James had announced the visitor to him outside already – and went directly to the sofa. Irina took the last steps towards him and smiled, her eyes thanking him a thousand times for returning.

He didn't even need to see her glance to feel the uneasiness of the situation. Actually, he wasn't very much in the mood to meet Arvin Sloane either. Softly he smiled at the woman in front of him, for a split second stunned at how beautiful she was, before he turned to the visitor.

"Arvin." His voice, although courteous, showed a certain coldness and distance, making clear that the man was not at all appreciated in this house.

"Jack," Arvin gave him his slippery smile and got up. "I know you do not want to see me at the moment, and I can totally understand that."

"Really?" Jack asked ironically, and Irina felt a tension coming up. She pressed Jack's hand, silently begging him not to behave inappropriately. Knowing that the situation was partly her fault, she didn't want a fight to take place.

"Yes. I don't know what came into my mind at the party. I knew you were newly wedded, and when I beheld the beauty of your wife, I was stunned. She does something to a man, do you know that?" His eyes met Irina's again, and he smiled friendly. "However, I am terribly sorry. A man of my age should know better than to make a move on his best friend's wife."

Jack relaxed a little, obviously willing to listen to Arvin. Surely their friendship would not be as it had been before, and he would certainly not leave him alone with Irina again, but Arvin was right. They had been friends for the last twenty years, and therefore manners required him to give Arvin a second chance.

"You were drinking tea?" he noted and smiled at his wife. Irina nodded, but before she could say anything, Arvin jumped in.

"Yes, we were just talking about the mild climate this time of year. It is still way too sunny for a November day. So, the farm of Gransom burned down?"

"Yes..."

Irina followed Jack to the sofa. The men started to talk about properties now, and soon the conversation turned over to the latest political affairs and dangers from the North. After having patiently listened for a few minutes, Irina excused herself with a smile, reasoning that she would look for James in order to set a third place.

As soon as she had left the room, the men sat back down, and Arvin's face became serious.

"To be honest, Jack, that was not the reason why I am here. I didn't want your wife to hear this, because, I am afraid, it is going to upset her." He took a deep breath and had Jack's full attention now.

"What is it?"

"It came to my ear, that one of your men is doing an investigation in the city. When I heard that he had been tasked by you, I decided to step in and do what I could to help him with my contacts and clearances. You are searching for a young woman, Katya Derevko, the sister of your wife, aren't you?"

"Yes," Jack simply said. "What do you know about her whereabouts?"

"Nothing so far... but unfortunately the messages I recently received from my own men, whom I tasked with an investigation, indicate the worst." He hesitated for a moment, and then pulled a piece of cloth out of his pocket. "This is the scarf of Lady Katya Derevko, isn't it?"

Jack took the beige material out of the man's hands and examined it. The words 'Property of Katya D.' were embroidered at the edge, but what concerned him the most were the deep red marks all over the scarf – blood. "Where did you get this?" Jack asked seriously and his eyes met the ones of Arvin.

"It was pure chance, an investigation that wasn't actually involved with yours. Two days ago, an old man came to me and reported that he believed to having witnessed a murder the previous night. From his window, he had seen a man pushing a woman down the bridge into the river, but nobody wanted to believe him. I sent out my soldiers to search for proof that confirmed what the old man said. They found this at the riverside in the shallow water. When they brought it to me, I didn't pay much attention to the cloth – then I heard of the investigation you were leading. The forename and the initial of the last name on the cloth matched. Jack, I am afraid that the old man was right. The woman who was murdered that night was Katya Derevko."

Before Jack could express his shock at the revelation, the ear-splitting sound of shattering porcelain was heard from the door. Both men spun around, finding Irina standing in the doorframe, paralyzed in shock. Every hope from Jack's part that she had probably not heard the last sentence of Sloane's report were futile. The expression on her face betrayed the pain and horror she felt inside.

For a moment, it seemed as if Irina lost balance, before she could steady herself at the wood of the doorframe. James hurried with two female servants into the room, wanting to clean up the broken pieces from the ground. Irina went to her knees, her mind still not really understanding the words she had just heard.

"I am sorry... it was my fault." She murmured and started to clean up the mess. James tried to pull her away.

"Milady, it's alright, we will do that."

"No, I was being careless."

She hissed, when one of the pieces cut into her trembling hand deeply and set free a small stream of blood. She shivered, when the blood of her own hand made her realize the truth of what she had just witnessed the men saying. Katya was dead. Her elder sister, who had always protected her, had died trying to free her – and in the end it had all been for nothing, because she wasn't even a prisoner anymore.

Her hurt hand became blurred in front of her eyes and when she looked up, the world started to spin. Vaguely, she saw Jack running towards her and felt him grab her shoulders. Unable to stand him or any other person at the moment, she pushed him away and turned around. Stumbling, she fled the room. Jack wanted to follow her, but the silent plea in James' eyes held him back.

"I will send her maid to take care of her," he said, before he left the room. Jack knew that the old man was right. Maybe it was best for her to be alone for now and besides, he was having a visitor. Slowly he went back to the sofa, staring at the red scarf in his hands. The almost unbearable feeling that the situation was his fault came up in his mind. Would Irina ever be able to forgive him that he had sent her sister out as his undercover agent? An untrained woman, who most likely had no experience in covering her traces or making sure that nobody learned the truth about her real loyalty.

The more he thought about it, the more he came to the conclusion that his judgement had been impaired by the desire he had felt for Irina. To make her stay with him, he had been willing to sacrifice her sister.

"Jack, I am sorry... I didn't see her coming into the room." Arvin murmured causing Jack to look up.

"It's okay... it was my fault." Jack murmured. "I knew Irina would return."

"Jack, why did you search for Lady Katya?" Arvin's voice showed sympathy, and his eyes followed Jack who now went to the window, staring out to an uncertain point in the distance. "Was there a reason for your investigation?"

"There was," Jack opened up after a deep sigh. Slowly, he turned to Sloane. "Arvin, I trust you to handle what I am going to tell you absolutely confidentially."

"Of course."

"That I met Irina Derevko in the woods for the first time is only partly true. In fact, it was on the failed mission a month ago that I met her. She was the contact I was supposed to meet and arrest."

Arvin's face showed surprise, but he kept silent and let Jack go on.

"But she was able to escape. I am not going to lie to you, we were attracted to each other and from one of our flirtations, I knew her forename. For the first time in my life, I acted against the sake of the kingdom and kept her name to myself. I started to search for her, not giving more information than necessary to my soldiers, and finally, I was able to find her alone. Nobody knew up to now that she is the contact from that night. Only my closest servants and some chosen soldiers know that she is involved with the rebel group. She came here as my prisoner, and since I had no idea of how much she was involved yet, I thought it better to fabricate a marriage with her in order to keep her and my own reputation in tact."

When Jack stopped for a moment, Arvin took a deep breath and got up. "So you betrayed the queen for that woman?"

Jack look at him. "Not necessarily!" Now he told Arvin about the agreement he had with Katya Derevko, and that Irina would be a free woman again, as soon as he held a list in his hand which allowed him to identify the higher bosses of the terrorist ring. He told him about how they had accidentally gotten married and that the price for the list would be the annulment Irina had wanted so badly. Arvin listened patiently, shook his head from time to time and when Jack was finished, he took a deep breath.

"One thing is still unclear to me... why did you start an investigation on Lady Katya's whereabouts all of a sudden when she was working for you."

"Because I wanted to pull her out."

"Why?"

Jack turned to the window again and it took some time before he answered. "Because I love Irina."

"Jack..." Arvin started and folded his arms. "I am not going to lie to you. I am in a difficult situation now. I feel true respect for your decision, but the fact remains that the woman is a criminal – and that you collaborated with her. Have you ever considered the possibility that she might just be using you in order to get closer to the queen and gather information?"

"No." Jack said and eyed Arvin with a hint of coldness on his face. "Irina loves me. She would never do anything like that."

"What makes you so sure that the whole thing wasn't planned?" Sloane asked with concern in his voice. "After all, it was the leader of her rebel group through whom you got married. And it was her who ran away to him in the first place. I know it is hard for you to take this into consideration now, but you have to at least keep in mind that she might be playing you. She seduced you in the first place, after she felt that you wanted her. It is not hard for a woman to manipulate a man, when she is as beautiful as Irina. Remember that she tried to seduce me as well."

Jack looked at him, his eyes filled with rage and hate against the man opposite him, but also with the hint of doubt.

"Impossible." Jack simply stated after a while. "Irina can not be using me. Her sister was killed while spying for me. If this was all a plan of the rebels to get near the queen, she wouldn't have been killed by them."

"Jack, we don't actually know who killed her. It might have just been an angry lover – another furious man she betrayed and played with." Arvin remarked and after another moment of silence, he laid his hand to Jack's shoulder. "Think about it. I don't want to accuse your loved one out of jealousy or envy – although that is most likely what it looks like now. I am just concerned for you. You are my oldest friend Jack, and all I am asking you is to be careful."

Having said those words, he turned around and went to leave the room. At the door he turned around once more. "I will let you know when I find out something new."

And then he was gone, leaving Jack alone with the newly-born phantom that was slowly growing in his mind. Could Arvin be right? Could it be that the whole thing had been a game all along? That Irina had planned everything just as it happened? No, he refused to believe that. Irina loved him, and he loved her. All their fights, their furious outbursts when they had yelled at each other, their passionate lovemaking, all that couldn't have been faked, foreseen in the brilliant head of a woman who was used to playing with men…could it?


	23. Before I Fall In Love

**Part 22 – Before I Fall In Love...**

It was so dark that the small group of men could barely see their own hands in front of their eyes. The night air was cold and the winter announced itself by almost freezing breezes from the sea. Nobody doubted that soon the first snow would fall. The thin crescent of the moon was hidden under a thick blanket of dark clouds, and a distant rumbling announced that a storm was coming up.

Jack urged his men to go faster. "We need to find her. As soon as the storm starts, our chances are gone. Hurry!" He was driven by fear and hate for himself.

After Arvin had left in the afternoon, he had spent hours in his study, trying to bring order into his thoughts. He had spent eternities to find proof for what Arvin had suspected – that Irina was using him. He had tried to refute Irina's words of love by the truth of facts – facts that didn't even exist. And when finally the young maid Sarah had stormed into his room, it had been too late for regrets. Totally beside herself, she had confessed to Jack in tears that Irina was gone, that her cape was missing and nowhere was a sign of her.

That was the moment he had remembered Irina's state, the shock she had been in, and all his doubts and analyzing thoughts had turned into worry. She had run away again, but she hadn't done it because she was deceiving him.

He should have seen it coming, but instead he had preferred to bury himself in his study – leaving her alone when she most needed him.

"Milord, we have to turn around," a higher-ranking officer admonished when the first thick raindrops hit their faces. "The storm will soon become stronger, and we have to be home by then."

"We will not turn around until we find her," Jack snapped back, knowing that his officer was right. It was madness to go on if the thunderstorm was raging with all force. But he knew that Irina was alone out there, that she didn't have money and that she hadn't taken a horse. Therefore she would have no place to hide from the storm, since the next farmhouse was miles away.

"Sir," the officer tried again ten minutes later, when the fire of the torches threatened to go out due to the rain. "When we lose the torches, we won't even be able to find the way back."

Jack turned his head at him, knowing that he was right. It would be suicide to go on in this weather. Yet, he couldn't turn around. "You are right!" he yelled back at the man to drown out the rain. "You turn around!"

"Milord..." the man started to disagree, but Jack became furious.

"You heard my orders! You will turn around! I am going to go on searching! If I haven't returned in the morning, send somebody after me."

"Yes, Sir," the officer replied, knowing better than to contradict. He himself had a wife he absolutely adored and if he imagined she was out in the rain, he would have acted exactly the same. He turned around to the soldiers. "We turn around, men! Back to the manor!"

Jack didn't pay attention to him. He went on, driving his horse as fast as he could on the muddy ground and in the darkness. Soon his clothes were soaked, and the wind felt like needles on his skin.

It was more a chance than knowledge when all of a sudden he had reached the coastline. In the storm, he had lost his orientation completely, but when he saw the rocks of the cliff, he knew where he was. It was not far until he reached the larger cave that led to the small part of the beach he and Irina had been yesterday. It wouldn't shield him from wind, but at least it was dry and he would probably be able to make a small fire to warm himself up until the rain got weaker.

He drove the horse another mile and it was more luck that the animal didn't trip or slip out on the ground. When he reached the cave, Jack almost jumped off the horse and ran into the cave. The horse followed him. He calmed the animal down, softly tapping it's nostrils, while he looked around in search of wood. Leaving the horse, he crossed the cave until he reached the other end, collecting some of the smaller branches that had fallen from the trees. After examining them, he discarded them all. They were already soaked and were useless to start a fire. He was just about to turn around, when his eyes spotted a dark shadow. Slowly he left the cave to go closer, ignoring the rain that was striking into his face again.

She sat under the tree – their tree – with her knees hugged to her body tightly. She was just sitting there, motionless, her eyes fixed at the large horizon and the waves that played violently against the rocks and on the sand of the beach. The rain didn't seem to affect her, although she was all soaked.

"Irina..." he said when he was next to her, careful not to startle her. At the sound of his voice she turned her face and stared at him, her eyes showing her disbelief.

"What are you doing here?" she snapped, and Jack laughed bitterly.

"Shouldn't I be the one asking that question?" He was tired of yelling against the sounds of the storm, so he grabbed her arm. "Come inside the cave! You will catch a cold out here."

"Don't touch me!" she yelled and hit his hand away. "Go away, leave me alone!"

"I won't."

"I don't want to see you ever again!" She jumped up, turned and just left him where he was standing, approaching the wild waves of the sea.

"Irina!" Jack hurried to follow her and held her. "This is dangerous! The waves are unpredictable, and if you slip out and are pulled out into the open sea, I won't be able to help you!"

"So what?" she snapped back and hugged her body with her arms. She was trembling from the cold, but didn't seem to realize it.

"Irina..."

"You killed my sister!" she interrupted him. "You damned bastard, you sent her out! If you hadn't used her, she would still be alive! YOU KILLED MY SISTER!"

Desperately, she started to beat his chest with her fists until he pulled her abruptly against his broad shoulders, hugging her shivering body with his arms. She was cold, and her skin was almost icy.

"I am sorry," he whispered into her ear. "Irina, I am so sorry. That was not supposed to happen. I sent a soldier after her to protect her, but your sister wasn't so fond of the idea of being followed. She did everything to lose him – and finally succeeded. I am sorry."

She clenched the material of his jacket with her hands, not holding back her tears anymore. Silently they streamed over her cheeks and mixed with the water of the rain. Jack held her, ran his hand through her hair and tried to soothe her pain.

"Let's get out of the rain," he whispered after a while and this time, Irina didn't refuse. She followed Jack, her body and feet stiff from cold that caused her to stumble in the sand. Finally Jack lifted her into his arms and carried her into the cave. He put her down at a wall that was shielded from the wind and took a thick blanket out of the saddlebag of his horse. Then he sat down next to Irina, rubbing her arms to warm her up. Softly he pulled out her cape and wrapped them both in the blanket then.

"I am cold," Irina finally whispered weakly. "I want to go home..."

"We can't go home in the rain," Jack replied softly, leaning back so her head could rest at his shoulder. He pulled her close until he felt her warmth. She snuggled in closer to him and when he kissed her cheek, he could taste the salt of her tears.

"Jack..." she whispered and looked up. "I am so cold."

He kissed her deeply, his hand stroking through her hair. She closed her eyes, her exhaustion finally taking over. Jack let her fall asleep, softly rubbing her back and arms until he felt her stop trembling. Tenderly he kissed her forehead, wrapping the blanket close around their bodies.

One hour later the storm turned into soft drizzling. Jack decided that they should move before the rain became stronger again, so he lifted Irina up. She moaned in a slight disapproval of the loss of the comfortable warmth. Jack sat her down on the horse and got up behind her, making sure that he could hold her safely between his arms. He wrapped the blanket around her body and then set the horse to motion.

"Wait... my cape..." Irina whispered weakly, but Jack didn't stop.

"I will buy you a new one, honey." He calmed her down and her head dropped against his shoulder. She fell into silence again, and Jack didn't doubt that she had fallen back to sleep. With one arm wrapped safely around her waist, he drove the horse faster. It was easier for him to see through the drizzling now, and so they beheld the lights of the manor in the distance an half hour later.

He didn't even have to yell for his soldiers to open the gate – the men had already been watching out for him. In the court, Jack jumped off his horse, catching Irina up in his arms and carrying her up the stairwell to the door. Inside, he started to give orders to the servants.

"James, wake the kitchen helpers and the female servants, Sarah, take care of a hot bath! I want a bathtub filled with hot water in twenty minutes!"

"Sir, the tub is not in the lady's room. It's..." Sarah started, but Jack cut her off.

"Then fill the wooden tub in the kitchen!" he bellowed harshly and the girl ran away. Jack brought Irina directly into the kitchen, ordering the servants around. Five minutes later he had two cups of hot tea, one of which he gently forced Irina to drink.

She was more sleeping than she was awake when Jack started to pull off her soaked clothes. Sarah sent all male servants out of the kitchen and took over the task of organizing the filling of the tub. Nineteen minutes later, the big, old wooden tub was filled with hot water.

Softly, Jack slapped Irina's cheeks, then lifted her up into his arms and finally let her down in the hot water. Within a split second she was wide-awake, screaming out at the temperature, which seemed like boiling water on her icy skin. She would have jumped out of the tub if Jack hadn't held her back.

"Hot..." she yelled so aggressively that the present maids held their breath, but Jack didn't care for her outburst.

"You will stay in the water," he simply countered in a tone that didn't allow any contradiction, and even Irina was too tired to fight him. And after the first shock at the hot water had passed, it became more pleasant every second. After ten minutes, Jack helped her to get out of the tub. Only then Irina realized that she was still wearing her underwear – a courtesy Jack had shown her to prevent her from feeling embarrassed or ashamed in front of the servants.

"I am going to wait outside." Having said the words, Jack left the room, knowing that it was inappropriate to stay in the room while the maids undressed Irina – even for him as her husband.

Irina let Sarah and the other servants undress her, and then rub her skin until she felt all warm again. Subconsciously, Irina noted that Sarah was chatting with her, but she didn't understand the words the girl said. Her mind felt blurred, and she was unable to understand details.

She pulled on the nightgown Sarah handed her and then went slowly to the door murmuring, "I am going to bed". Outside the room, Jack was already waiting for her. In the meanwhile, he had changed as well and now looked at his wife worried.

"Are you feeling better?"

"Yes..." Irina murmured. "I am just... tired and a little dizzy..." Jack felt her forehead, ignoring Irina's assurances that it was nothing and that she would feel better when she was in her bed. Then he lifted her up, ignoring her resistance – although her attempts to fight him could barely be called resistance. He carried her through the dark corridor and up the stairs that led to their private rooms. But instead of her room, he carried her into his own room, laying her down on his big, soft bed. She was too tired to care – actually he doubted that she realized the difference at all. He pulled the sheets over her body and let his finger run over her cheek.

"Stubborn woman," he whispered tenderly. And replaced his finger with his lips.

"Jack," Irina opened her eyes and looked at him. "I'm sorry I broke my promise."

"What promise?" Jack asked softly.

"I ran away again..." she murmured sleepily, and Jack smiled.

"I have to apologize for not taking better care of you." He lay down next to her and pulled her body against his under the blankets. "You could have died out there... let's just hope you don't catch a cold – or an illness in your chest."

"For a moment, I wished I would become sick and die." She whispered and turned her face to him. "I thought I hated you... but..." She touched his cheeks and placed a soft kiss on his lips. "Now I am sorry. I know that Katya's death is not your fault, and what I said on the beach..."

"Shhh... it's okay, you don't have to explain." Jack murmured.

"Jack, I love you." Irina said and closed her eyes. "And I need you... please hold me."

He fulfilled her wish, holding her body close to his until they were both sleeping soundly.

O O O O O 

Irina slept the next day through. She was suffering from a strong headache and after Jack had sent for a doctor, who assured him that she would be alright again if she rested, he didn't allow her to get up. The day in bed gave her enough time to come to terms with Katya's death and how she should go on. She remained in Jack's bed – mainly because he had insisted on it, but also because the thought of having to cross the cold corridor was not pleasurable at all.

At the second day, Irina felt much better. When she awoke, the sun was already standing higher, which told her that it was at least ten o'clock. She stretched and yawned, noticing that her headache was gone and the bright light didn't hurt her eyes anymore.

Without ringing for her maid, she got up and pulled on Jack's robe. She had only been wearing a thin, short nightgown that barely covered her upper thighs and the air still felt chilly to her skin. Her memory of the last two days was only blurred, but she remembered the most important parts. In retrospect, she didn't know why she had run away. She had just wanted to leave, since all of a sudden she had felt unable to stand the situation.

Carefully she pressed the door handle to Jack's study and opened the door a little. She saw Jack sitting at his desk, and when she was sure he was alone, she entered the room.

"Good morning," she said friendly and smiled. Jack's face lightened up.

"Good morning. Are you feeling better?"

"Wonderful, thank you." She approached the desk slowly while looking around at the pictures that were hanging on the wall.

"It's good that you are here." Jack said. "I have to talk to you about something anyway." His voice was serious, and Irina met his eyes. He was looking at her with an unreadable expression on his face. Immediately her bad conscience returned.

"Jack, I know what you want to say, but I was confused... I assure you, I didn't mean to break my promise by running away."

"Actually that was not what I was going to bring up."

"Oh..." Irina murmured and noted mentally that her hysteric excuse had been absolutely unnecessary.

"No, I have written a letter for your sister, Elena, and your maid Maggie, and I want you to read it. It is five pages long and explains everything that happened so far – including the tragic death of your sister, Katya." Jack said softly. "I'm sure you would not want me to inform your family without consulting you beforehand."

"Thank you..." Irina murmured and gave him a weak smile. "I appreciate that. I will read it later, when I am alone."

Jack nodded in agreement and smiled when Irina strolled around his desk. When she was standing in front of him, he laid his hands to her waist. Irina buried her hands in his hair and played with his gray waves.

"I missed you..." she murmured, and he looked up.

"I was always in my study, close to you..." was his slightly confused reply. Irina laughed softly.

"That was not what I was referring to," she pointed out and without giving him time to fully understand her words, she sat down on the desk surface in front of him. Jack looked at her in appreciation and then lifted from his chair, his eyes not leaving her elegant form as he took her invitation. Hungrily he devoured her mouth in a kiss, before he pulled back.

"We shouldn't," he murmured, "you're still too weak."

"I assure you, I am absolutely fit." She replied and pulled him back against her, legs at either side of his body.

"Irina..." Jack moaned, feeling that he wouldn't be able to resist her if she went on with her clever seduction. Her lips touched his chin, and she started nibbling on his skin…her hands running over his cheek to be able to take in all of the sensual atmosphere. All of a sudden, he loosened from her and went to the door.

"Jack!" Irina exclaimed, almost insulted and started a tirade of threats against him. "Two days ago, I ran away for reasons even I don't understand, but if you don't come back here at once, I swear to you, today it will be for a good reason!"

Jack grinned amused and turned the key in the lock. "Will it?" he asked playfully menacingly.

"Yes... and this time you won't find me."

"I will always find you." He warned, his eyes gleaming in a challenge. "And be sure that you would regret running away after I found you."

"Really?" Irina murmured close to his lips when he urged her back to fully sit on his desk. "Empty threats, Lord Bristow? I am not really fond of those."

"No, not empty..." He smiled. "But I am sure you would be really fond of the consequences."

"Are you trying to talk me into running away?" she mused, while her fingers slowly opened the buttons of his jacket one by one. "So, why don't you just imagine that I tried to run away, and show me your consequences now?"

"Here?" Jack asked, scanning her eyes for approval.

"Yes, here and now..." she mumbled, wrapping her legs around his body to pull him closer with her ankles. "You already locked the door, so why the question?"

"I was more thinking of the couch... for the sake of your comfort."

"I am quite comfortable here – and besides it's exciting. I like it exciting." She continued her flirtations, and Jack chuckled.

"Then your wish is my command." With a quick movement of his arm, he had pushed the books and papers that were covering the surface of the desk, aside. With a loud bang, some of the books dropped to the floor, but Jack didn't even waste a look. He pulled Irina abruptly against him so she lost balance and fell back with a stifled laugh. When she was lying flatly on the surface, Jack untied the knot of the ribbon that held her bathrobe. Then he pushed the material open, gasping at the sight of what she was wearing underneath.

It didn't take him much of an effort to push the nightgown up and reveal the silky skin of her belly and breasts. She lifted her arms and tugged him towards her at his sleeve. Their lips connected in a short, open-mouth kiss, before Jack evaded her touch. He bent over her body and buried his head at her neck, where he started to suck her skin until he was satisfied by her soft moan. His hands fondled at her breasts, and when he felt her nipples harden, he replaced one hand with his mouth. Enjoying her passionate reactions to his touch, he continued his caresses, feeling his erection grow.

It amazed him what kind of effect she had on him. Never had he been as uncontrolled and easy as he was when he was with her. Even the way she moved was enough to ignite fantasies inside him, that were not at all appropriate for a gentleman to have about a lady. The perfect preconditions to manipulate him. Involuntarily, that thought had occurred to his mind. He froze for a moment and lifted his head, looking at the exotic beauty under him.

It was impossible for him to believe that Irina might have planned to seduce him, but maybe Arvin Sloane was right. He had to consider it as a possibility. He had seen women working for unscrupulous men, manipulating the men around them so brilliantly that revelation of them being enemies was like a shock.

"Jack..." Irina whispered and looked up at him, her eyes clouded and her skin flushed, "what is wrong?" She sounded truly worried, and he forced a smile.

"It's nothing. You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen."

"And you are the most handsome man I know." She murmured back.

"Am I?" he murmured thoughtfully. "Have you said that to your affairs as well?"

The question was asked thoughtlessly and almost indifferently, but Irina lifted onto her elbows.

"What?" she asked insecure, confused by the sudden change in Jack's behavior. "Jack what are you talking about? I told you, that my affairs were not even close to what we share. What I am feeling for you is... different. You drive me crazy." Her hands were lying softly on his cheeks and her eyes reflected a deep fear. He felt a stitch in his heart and placed his hands on hers.

"But..." Irina continued weakly, "if you want to think our situation over again, I won't be angry. Even if you decide that we...that our relationship is only to be considered as an affair… won't reproach you, Jack." Her voice sounded like breaking, and Jack pressed his lips to hers hungrily.

"What are you thinking about?" he whispered breathlessly between two kisses. "I want you Irina. Only you... I love you. I just want to know if... there is anything left from your past that might be standing between us?"

Their eyes locked for a moment, and Irina returned his stare, not knowing what he was referring to.

"No Jack! Except for the problems you already know, there is nothing. I am all yours..." And although her seductive pose was not what she was actually referring to, she laid back and smiled at him, trying to put his thoughts to another track. Jack chuckled and moved down her body. Over her abdomen, he stopped and kissed her deeply, burying his face in her skin. Irina closed her eyes at the sensual gesture and ran her hands through his hair.

When his lips moved further down and his tongue finally flicked over her clit, she arched her hips against him.

"Jack, don't! Just... take me." She pleaded. "No teasing today..."

Chuckling, he moved back up until his lips were hovering above hers.

"Impatient, are we?" His lips brushed hers in a butterfly kiss while he opened his pants.

Her soft laughter tickled against his mouth, and she bit his lower lip combatively. "I am not the only one..." she teased, when his erection grazed her thigh. She ran her legs up and down his body and finally pulled him closer. The desperation to feel him inside her was standing in her eyes and Jack complied, entering her in one deep thrust. The soft cry that escaped her lips made him freeze. Her fingers dug into the fabric on his shoulders in the perfect mixture of pain and pleasure that rushed through her veins. Jack moaned, forcing himself to still until she had adjusted to his size. An endless moment passed which he spent by licking and nibbling at her earlobe to soothe her momentary discomfort.

She licked his chin seductively and pulled him closer. He smiled when she reached his lips with her kisses, and started to move inside her slowly. She adapted to his pace and soon they rocked in a perfect rhythm.

"You feel so good," Irina uttered.

"And you are so perfect," Jack whispered against her hair, increasing his pace. Irina whimpered, grabbing the edge of the desk with her hand while she bent her body to intensify their joining. She felt Jack's lips at her throat and clenched her hand into the material of his shirt. Unable to control her passion any longer, she accidentally knocked a vase off the desk. It shattered with a loud burst on the ground, but neither of them cared. The effect of their uncontrolled lovemaking increased their desire, and both got carried away by the feeling of each other, the closeness and heat.

Five minutes later, Jack was leaning on his elbows above the woman he loved, looking around in disbelief. They had literally turned the room into a space of chaos in less than twenty minutes. When Irina followed his eyes, she smiled amused. Quickly, she tried to prevent another book from falling, but only grazed it with her hand and it dropped, causing her to giggle softly. She turned her head to look up at Jack, stroking a strand of hair away from his forehead.

"Thank you..." she whispered and kissed him.

"I have to thank you." He stated seriously. "I never enjoyed sitting at this desk. From now on I definitely will."

She joined in his amused laughter and hugged him closely. Eventually he stood up and helped her to get off his desk. When she was standing on the ground, she rearranged her clothes and closed the robe in the front, while Jack put his own clothes back to order. Then they started to pick up the books and papers from the floor, continuing to tease each other with flirtatious comments. When the room was looking normal again – except for the broken vase on the ground – Jack rang for James.

"I get the feeling that we can not be in the same room together," Irina murmured playfully, causing Jack to chuckle in amusement.

"Me too." He smiled at Irina and sat back in his chair. "But I will certainly like this room a lot more than before from now on."

"Mmm... you can give me a list with all rooms you don't like in this house and then we can..."

"Don't you dare finish that sentence," Jack warned amused, and Irina hurried to leave the room in cheerful laughter. Jack followed her with his eyes, smiling. When she was gone, his face became serious again, and he opened one of the drawers of his desk. His forehead was furrowed while he looked at the words that were written with dark ink on the paper – his handwriting. It was a letter to the queen in which he explained Irina's identity and their marriage. He knew that he had promised Irina not to inform the queen, but things had changed since then, and before he went on working on a future with her, he needed to be sure that Irina was being honest with him. He needed somebody to confirm that what she had told him was the truth, and the only person who could do so, was the queen.

His letter included numerous questions about what had happened twenty-five years ago, but also a detailed description of the background Irina was coming from, combined with the assurance that she had given him valuable information about the terrorists. At the end he asked for an audience in order to solve the misunderstandings and work out a solution for Irina and her sister Elena.

After a long time, he folded the letter and sealed it with wax and his signet. When James knocked at the door, he ordered him to give the letter to a soldier and send a maid to clean up the broken pieces of the vase.

It was the hardest decision he had ever had to make, and he just hoped that Irina would forgive him and understand his reasons if she found out.


	24. Family Crisis

Part 23 – Family Crisis 

Days passed by…days, which Jack and Irina spent together, living the illusion of a happily married couple. Although both were aware of the problems they soon had to face and talk about, they decided to ignore it for the time being. Every additional day they spent together, both of them fell more for the other. The romance between them was too powerful to allow them to give in to the shadows that reality threw upon them.

Days soon turned into weeks, during which neither Jack nor Irina mentioned anything concerning the royal court or how their future should look. Although Jack had sent his most trusted soldier to the queen to deliver his letter, he had not received an answer, and therefore did not know the queen's opinion. If she was outraged or planned to pursue his behavior in front of a court, she had not yet given any sign of her disapproval.

Neither had Irina's family. Her sister Elena and Maggie had not replied to the letter, which had been signed by both of them, Jack as well as Irina. They had given no sign that they accepted the invitation to visit Bristow manor. Jack knew the knowledge that her sister might never forgive her for giving her hand to an enemy was lying heavily on Irina's heart, but she didn't show it to anybody. She had proven to be a perfect mistress of his household, organizing the daily tasks with unsurpassed logic. Although she treated the servants always kindly, never raising her voice, the employees respected her as their mistress, and if she ordered them to do something, it was done as quickly and as well as possible.

Mrs. Tribbiani was, of course, not so fond of accepting a woman which she didn't feel the slightest respect for as her new mistress. But she also knew that if she tried to harm Irina or disregarded her wishes, Lord Bristow would fire her. He had made his position rather clear, and she knew better than to tempt his rage. It was wiser to make him think that she had accepted his so-called wife. So she followed the schedule Irina gave her every day, waiting patiently, for she was sure that the woman would not be in the manor for a long time. She would take care of that...

Almost three weeks had passed, until one morning they were awakened early. The dawn had only just begun, and the room was bathed in the dim light of the rising morning. It was barely enough to see all the details in the room. Irina only woke up by the coldness that suddenly hit her.

Her eyelids fluttered open while she reached for Jack's body next to her, longing for his warmth. When she didn't find him, she lifted up, shivering at a cold breeze that brushed over her skin. The air was cold, announcing the coming winter. December was only a week away. She found Jack standing half-naked at the open window, leaning outside looking down into the court where James was busy. Irina recognized his voice.

"Jack?" she murmured sleepily. "What is going on?"

"A carriage. It just arrived." He replied, and Irina fell back into the cushions.

"Come back here..." she murmured, when suddenly, down in the court, James' calm voice was outdone by another, female voice. Within an instant, Irina was sitting upright in bed. "ELENA!"

Her exclamation made Jack turn and close the window. He hurried to pull on a shirt. Irina crawled out of the bed, not caring for dressing properly. So she just tied her bathrobe in the front and put her hair to order in front of the mirror. After she had pulled on her house shoes, she hurried out of the room, closely followed by Jack.

In the meantime, James had permitted the unexpected visitors entrance. When Irina reached the entrance hall, Elena was already looking around, a large hat case in her hand.

"Elena..." Irina exclaimed and almost ran to her sister to hug her closely. "I missed you so much..."

"I missed you too," Elena whispered, her voice almost breaking.

She looked from her sister to the old maid. "Maggie..." When she hugged her maid, Elena finally discovered Jack, who had stayed at the staircase for another minute to give his wife the chance to exchange a few private words with her family.

"Look, there he is!" she said bitterly, with a certain sharpness in her voice. Maggie loosened from Irina, giving the youngest sister a warning look.

"Miss Elena, we talked about that."

"Surprise, isn't it? I'm sure you would have rather wanted us to not follow your invitation." The sister went on, ignoring Maggie's remark, and handed her cape to James while she approached Jack slowly.

"Elly!" Irina tried to calm her down. "I know you are angry, but..."

"Oh yes, I am! I am outraged that this English bastard thinks he can blackmail my sister into a marriage right after he killed my other sister."

"Elena Derevko, you will shut your mouth at once!" Maggie exclaimed, and for the first time Irina could hear real fury in the voice of her maid. "Milord, I have to apologize for her behavior. She is..."

"... obviously exhausted from the long journey." Jack finished her sentence diplomatically with a smile. "It must have been a torture to come all the way during the night, especially since it's already quite cold. James, would you have the servants prepare a small breakfast and hot tea for the ladies, please?"

Maggie exhaled in relief, and Irina pressed her hand, smiling at Jack thankfully. They had talked about this situation so many times, both aware that her sister Elena would most likely not just accept their marriage. Jack had assured her that he understood and that he would treat Elena Derevko with the greatest respect and consideration for their difficult situation.

"Come, I will show you to our living room, where you can rest a moment, while I have the maids prepare your rooms," Irina offered, going to the door to the living room.

Elena looked at Maggie who followed Irina, not without passing her another warning glance.

"This is not over yet," Elena hissed at Jack, then turned and followed the women.

"I didn't expect it to be over." Jack replied and turned to order James to carry the luggage out of the carriage as soon as the rooms were prepared.

In the large living room, Irina rang for a servant while Elena and Maggie took a seat on the large sofa, scanning the room in honest admiration. When a young servant appeared, obviously still a little sleepy due to the early hour, Irina ordered her to prepare two rooms for their guests as quickly as possible. She gave detailed orders, then when the maid had left, she turned to her family.

Maggie smiled at her, clapping her hands in happiness when Irina approached the table.

"My dear, you look so wonderful, Irina." Elena scoffed ironically at this comment of Maggie's, but the maid ignored it. "I knew that you two were meant for each other. I could see it in your eyes, and I saw it in his."

"Oh please..." Elena interrupted her. "Maggie, Irina was forced into this marriage. Didn't you listen to what Katya reported to us after she had met Irina with that bastard? He blackmailed them... he forced Irina to stay with him, and Katya clearly told us how much Irina hated Jack Bristow."

Irina sighed and sat down on the sofa. "It's true... back then I hated him – or at least I thought I did. But that has changed. I love him, Elena. I truly love him, and I have never been as happy as I am right now."

"Irina, don't be a fool. That man is no different from the other English bastards. He doesn't have honor, and he doesn't have morals…a man like the ones who raided our house. Do you think he would act differently if in the same situation? How could you of all people fall for someone like him?"

Irina jumped up, anger standing in her eyes. Maggie rose as well and held Irina back. "Don't listen to her. She is tired and aggressive. We had a horrible trip."

Irina sat back on the sofa, only half listening to the detailed report Maggie now started, telling their adventures on every little station of the journey. Her sister looked at her, and she returned her look, understanding the reasons her sister had. The questions Elena had brought up were questions she had already asked herself, never knowing an answer for sure.

Of course, Jack had done everything to help her, but that was only because he had fallen for her. How would he have reacted if she had just been a random woman. Wouldn't she be sitting in prison then by now? She always answered to her own questions that Jack was different, that he would never act inhumanely against an innocent person. Yet, a little doubt always remained in her heart.

When James served the tea and a small breakfast a few moments later, he reported that the rooms of the ladies were now prepared.

Irina smiled again at her guests. "I am so glad to see you two. How long are you going to stay here with me?"

"As long as..." Maggie started, but Elena didn't let her finish.

"In order to prevent misunderstandings, this is not a leisure visit. We are here for a purpose. We are going to take you back home."

"Well, actually we are here to make sure that you are happy, and if that's not the case, we plan take you home." Maggie corrected, and Elena looked at her enraged.

"Maggie, the fact that Irina isn't happy is out of the question."

"Well, to me she looks really happy..."

"Who knows what that English scoundrel has threatened her with. Maybe he drugged her. I've heard of drugs from the orient which can make a woman weak-willed."

"Elena, I can hear you, I'm sitting opposite you," Irina pointed out aggressively, as Elena spoke as if she weren't present in the room. The woman didn't react.

"Whatever he has done, I am sure he plans something, and I am not going to let him use our family. It is his fault that I lost one sister, I am not going lose my other sister to him."

The door shut with a loud sound and all turned their heads to Jack, who had entered the room and was obviously following the conversation with great interest.

"And what, my dear Lady Derevko, am I planning?" he asked without hiding his amusement.

"I don't know... maybe you want to infiltrate our group, maybe you just want a cheap whore..."

"LADY ELENA..." Maggie gasped for air, but the youngest sister didn't stop her tirade.

"... or maybe you just want to gain Irina's trust for some reason to finally play her out. Why don't YOU answer that question? Why would a British member of the royal court marry a rebel woman, a criminal?"

Jack approached the sofa, and his hand ran slightly and unnoticed through Irina's hair when he passed her by. Then he sat down next to her, taking her hand into his. Irina smiled faintly at him.

"That question is quite simple to answer." Jack replied and smiled back warmly at his wife. "Because I love her. That might be hard to believe for you, Milady, but I fell in love with your sister." He kissed Irina's hand, then turned to Elena. "I understand that this is a difficult situation, given our background and the circumstances in which we met, but it is the truth."

"Tell that to somebody who believes you..." Elena murmured and looked at Irina. "I am going to watch you, and if I have just the slightest doubt about your honesty concerning your feelings for my sister, I will take a very painful revenge, is that clear?"

"Of course," Jack nodded, taking all his control to sound serious and calm. Maggie saved the moment by starting to chat leisurely, asking Irina about the land and the household, giving compliments to Jack about the furnishing and the beauty of his country. When they had finished breakfast, Maggie and Elena retired to rest and sleep for a few hours.

Irina watched them leave the room and follow James who showed them around. Then she turned to her husband and leaned against Jacks shoulder.

"I am sorry for what she said... she's just worried..."

"I know." Jack replied, stroking her cheek. "I have to admit though, that I don't really feel comfortable making one of your family my enemy. I don't doubt that she's capable of doing just what she said."

Irina laughed and kissed him softly. "We are not as bad as we may seem at the first impression. Neither of us. Elena may seem rather rude and unmannered, but she's really a kind and warm-hearted woman, just as Katya was." A shadow clouded her eyes. "Elena just doesn't show her pain. She has lost two sisters at once..."

"She didn't lose you..." Jack argued, but Irina laid her finger to his lips.

"Of course she didn't, but she feels that way. Now that Katya is dead, I am the only one that is still left. Between the three of us, Katya, her and me, there has never been a secret. We've told each other everything. I think she is a little jealous – which will soon fade away if she gets to know you better and sees what a charming and gracious husband you are. Give her a few days. She has to get used to the situation... Please."

"I will," Jack assured, kissing Irina's fingers while he looked deeply into her eyes. "Now... do you want to join me? I will retire to bed for another one or two hours."

"I will be glad to do so," Irina laughed, and Jack held his hand out to her gallantly, then they left the room, their fingers tenderly entwined.

O O O O 

Two days went by, and soon Maggie felt completely home. She had taken the maid Sarah under her protection, teaching her all the things a maid had to know. She showed her tricks in making beds and cleaning rooms that saved time. Impressed by how clever the girl was, Maggie soon had the highest opinion of her and defeated her against the harsh attacks of Mrs. Tribbiani or the older maids.

Sarah liked the elderly woman. She never yelled at her, but showed her patiently how to do things, and if she didn't make it right the first time, she showed her a second and a third time, until she understood.

Elena, on the other hand, was not so satisfied with the situation. She examined the house as if it were a crime scene, investigating every room. Whenever she met Jack, she turned around and went away, even when he talked to her – or tried to do so – she preferred to just leave him standing and go. Despite her rude and absolutely insulting behavior, Jack behaved friendly and gracious towards her, since he had promised it to Irina.

One afternoon, Irina witnessed by chance one of those scenes in the garden, where Elena was sitting on a blanket in the grass, reading a book. When Jack passed by, he greeted her friendly, but Elena simply ignored him as if he were not there.

Enraged, Irina left the room she had been in and hurried out into the garden. Jack had gone away, and Irina put her hands to her hips, staring down at her little sister – a very unladylike gesture.

"Elena Marina Derevko, why are you doing this?" she burst out, and Elena looked up in confusion.

"What?" she asked innocently, as if she weren't aware of any kind of guilt.

"You are insulting my husband on purpose, you don't even give him a chance! Why are you doing that?"

"Because..." she started emphatically and slammed her book shut. "...he is our enemy, Irina. Even if you forgot that! I don't recognize you! What is the matter with you?"

"With me? The question would rather be, what is the matter with you! You don't even know him!" Irina yelled back infuriated, not caring that their discussion could be heard in the whole garden.

"And I am glad not to! Unlike other people, I don't collaborate with my enemy." Elena said coldly and turned her eyes back down on her book. Irina fell to her knees and took it out of her hand forcefully. Elena turned to look at her, fury sparkling in her eyes. "If you had acted more reasonable and done what our father has taught us, Katya would still be alive!"

It felt like a knife being pushed into her heart. Irina stared at her sister, whose eyes were filled with rage, hatred and pain. "Elena, you can't really mean that!" she whispered, feeling her eyes burning with tears for deep inside she knew, that there was an awful truth in Elena's words.

"Ask yourself, Irina, what would father do if he saw you here, giving yourself to one of the bastards who raped and killed our mother. What would mother say? I can't understand you."

A tear fell silently down Irina's cheek, and Elena's eyes also started to burn. "We couldn't go on like that forever, Elly. We can't spend our life hating people and seeking revenge - a goal for which we collaborate with even more dangerous criminals. Jack offered to start an investigation about the raid on our house twenty-five years ago, since he is convinced that it was not sanctioned by the queen. I didn't want him to do so in the first place, but the more I think about it, I have to admit that it is a possibility. Don't you see what the years of hatred have made out of us? Katya is dead, and the two of us start to turn against each other. That is not just my fault, Elly. And now for the first time, I feel really happy and safe, and you want to take that away from me." Her voice broke and when she looked up, she found tears running down Elena's cheeks as well. Almost shyly, Elena touched her sister's hand, then suddenly hugged her tightly.

"Oh, Rina, I'm so sorry. I'm sorry... I don't know what came over me to say those mean things." She cried. "Please forgive me. You're all I have left now, and I don't want to lose you as well."

"You won't lose me." Irina whispered. "How could you think that you would lose me? No matter how much I love Jack, you are my little sister and it will always stay that way. We just... we have to find a way for this to work. I don't want the two people I love the most to constantly fight each other."

"Do you really love him?" Elena asked, wiping away her tears with the back of her hand while she scanned Irina's face. Irina simply nodded.

"Yes, I love him. And if you give yourself the chance to get to know him, you will find that he is honest and an honorable man. He does everything for me, and he wants to help our family, if you just let him." Irina smiled and touched her sister's hair softly.

"Fine." Elena murmured, pouting slightly. "But don't expect me to become one of those weak-willed, always friendly creatures from court. I will argue with him if I don't like what he says."

Irina laughed and hugged Elena. "He wouldn't expect differently from a member of our family." Then she handed the book back to her sister and got up. "Why don't you join us for tea inside?"

"I have to wash my face first..." Elena smiled, and Irina returned her warm expression.

"Fine... we'll be waiting for you." With those words, she left to go back inside. Elena looked after her, then stared at the book in her hands. She hated the thought of having to be nice to Jack Bristow, but what wouldn't she do for her sister?

Although she herself couldn't understand why Irina had fallen in love with that man – except for his looks, she expected him to be rude and unmannered – but if he was the man Irina had chosen, she would give him a chance.

"But only one chance," she murmured to herself and finally lifted from the grass with a deep sigh.

And she fulfilled her promise. She attended tea, just as she had told Irina. Maggie was astounded when Elena entered the room with a smile, wearing a lovely dress, and appearing like a young lady. Jack stared at her as if she were a ghost, then at his wife, who simply smiled.

"Miss Elena," he then said courteously and got up, as it was custom if a lady came to the table. He waited until the woman sat down, then he sat back himself. The first few minutes passed in a silence that was only interrupted by James serving tea and cake.

After a moment, Elena cleared her throat.

"You have a really lovely garden, Lord Bristow." She complimented, and Jack smiled, fighting to hide his surprise. He wondered whether Lady Elena might be drugged – another reason for her sudden friendliness didn't come to his mind. "I especially appreciate the beauty of your roses. How many gardeners do you need to take care of them?"

"Only two..." Jack replied. "My chief gardener Steward and his son. If you want, you can talk to them if you're interested in gardening."

"Oh, that would be great." Elena replied.

Again silence.

"Has Irina already shown you around in the library? I have a lot of books about flowers and gardening there as well." Jack mentioned and took a sip of his tea. "Feel free to borrow them if they interest you."

"Thank you..."

Soon the conversation became more leisurely and the initial surprise and uneasiness disappeared.

Two hours later, Elena had to admit to herself that Jack Bristow was not that bad, but of course she would have never admitted that out loud. Although her suspicion was not fully conquered, she decided to at least respect Jack as Irina's husband ...if he proved trustworthy.

O O O O 

It was in the same week that Jack received the letter from the queen he had so long been waiting for. A soldier of the royal infantry delivered it personally and to Jack, who knew about the customs, that was not a good sign.

He waited until Irina and Elena had left the house for their picnic at the coast, accompanied by James and Maggie who seemed to get along perfectly. In Maggie, the old butler had found a companion in his fight against Mrs. Tribbiani and her authority.

The way Maggie simply ignored the mistresses' orders had deeply impressed James and during the five days that Maggie and Elena resided in his manor, his butler had built up a deep friendship with Maggie.

Therefore, Jack had agreed to grant him a free day, so he could join the women on their picnic. Jack himself had to work over his finance books and work, otherwise he would have joined them as well. On the other hand, he had also wanted to give them a little privacy.

As soon as he was alone in his study, he opened the letter and read over its first words. Slowly and thoroughly he read the whole letter, the meaning of the words he was reading seeming so abstract and impossible to him that he felt as if he were in a dream when he had finished.

After having read the letter a second and a third time, he jumped up from his chair.

"That's impossible!" he raged and slammed his hands to the table. "That just cannot be true. Not now..."

Then he hurried out of the room, slamming the door soundly, which caused a young maid, who was dust-cleaning the pictures on the wall, to give a startled shriek. Jack ignored her, but went straight to his library. Frantically, he searched the bookshelves for the book he hadn't looked into since his father had died fifteen years ago. When he had found it, he pulled it out and blew the dust off its cover. Then he went through the pages as fast as he could. Soon, he had found the chapter he was looking for, reading it while his eyes widened in disbelief. Suddenly it made sense, the words written in the book confirming the awful truth he would have never expected.

If there had been only a little bit of hope left that he and Irina could have a future together, this hope was now gone.

He leaned onto the heavy oak desk, staring at the words written in front of his eyes, knowing that this was the end - that Irina was going to hate him forever.


	25. The Invitation

**Part 24 – The Invitation**

"Jack?" Irina went through the large corridor, opening the door to her husband's study only to find it empty. She frowned, wondering where her husband might be. The whole morning she hadn't seen him. After she had returned from the picnic yesterday, he had been somewhat distant and silent. Even when she had played cards with her sister in the evening, Jack had just sat on the sofa, lost in thoughts while he was pretending to read a book.

Irina had noticed that he wasn't reading, since he had only turned the pages every five minutes. She didn't even worry so much about the reason for his bad mood, but the fact that he didn't talk to her about what concerned him frightened her.

She had slept alone in his bed last night, waiting past midnight for his company until she had fallen into a fitful sleep, certain that he would not come that night.

When she hadn't seen a single sign of Jack until after breakfast this morning, she had decided to ask him what was going on, but now she was running out of possibilities. Jack was neither in his study, nor in the library and she had already searched his other private rooms. No horse was missing, so he hadn't left the manor, and obviously none of the servants knew more than she herself knew about Jack's whereabouts.

Her last desperate idea was to search the attic. She had only been there once very briefly, and it was not a place she wanted to stay for a long time. Carefully, she went up the old wooden steps to the heavy door. Every step she took made the wood under her feet creak, and she was seriously afraid that the rotten staircase would break every moment. With all her efforts, she pushed open the old heavy door. It gave a loud squeak, and Irina went inside, wiping away a spider net that was hanging in her hair.

"Jack?" she asked, her voice resounding hollowly through the old attic. Old boxes were standing everywhere, and one wall was completely covered with an old bookshelf that held lots of antique books and some statues. It looked as if nobody had been up here for years. She was just about to leave again, when her eyes fell onto a door, which was hidden partly in the shadow of a bookshelf. Slowly, she went to the other side of the room, trying the handle. It opened easily, and as Irina pushed it open, she found herself standing in a neatly furnished room with an expensive desk in the center. Nothing in this room betrayed that it was located in an old attic, since it was clean and warm.

Slowly, she approached the picture of a man at the wall over an old fireplace, staring at it in fascination.

"Irina, what are you doing here?" Jack's voice startled her, and she spun around with a loud gasp.

"For heaven's sake, you scared me..." she murmured, only now noticing her husband, who was sitting in the armchair in a darker corner of the room. "I was looking for you throughout the whole house. I was getting worried."

Jack looked at her and closed the book that was lying on his knees. "I needed a little break – time to think."

"You didn't sleep in our bed last night," Irina remarked softly and approached him slowly. Not knowing what was bothering him made her nervous. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Jack looked at her intensely, suddenly thinking that he should send her away as long as there was still time. It was only a matter of days until he had to tell her what he had learned, and he knew it would break her heart, as well as it had broken his. It seemed as if all he could offer her was pain and a broken heart. She deserved better than him...

"Jack..." Irina went to her knees in front of him, her hands lying softly on his legs. "You are scaring me."

Jack bent forward to touch her cheek and brush his thumb tenderly over her lips. "I love you," he declared. "More than I could ever say."

She smiled faintly and placed her hand over his. "I love you too." Knowing that pushing him to talk to her would not help the situation, she just remained where she was and waited. Interested, she looked around in the room, wondering if this was some kind of secret library, as many manors had.

"There is something I didn't tell you," Jack finally started, having Irina's attention immediately. She just looked at him, not interrupting him with questions, and waited until he went on. "We talked about it only once, and back then you said that you did not want me to inform the queen about anything concerning you."

Irina slowly straightened her back, intuitively bringing a little distance between them. She knew what he was going to say, opening her mouth slightly in shock – yet a part of her didn't want to believe it.

"I did nonetheless. I wrote a letter to the queen, informing her about the circumstances and asking for her assistance." Jack closed calmly.

Irina inhaled deeply, looking around in the room. "You... you did... despite my asking you not to?"

"Irina, we had to do something. We can't go on like this forever. I don't want to live with the constant fear that somebody might discover your secret."

"You told her everything about me? The truth?" she asked, her voice betraying hurt inside her, but also anger.

"Yes... the whole story, without exceptions."

Irina lifted from the ground and turned, going to the small, dusty skylight. Wrapping her arms around her body, she didn't say a word for a long time.

"I considered all possibilities, and I came to the conclusion that this is the best way. It would have been only a matter of time until she had learned the truth; therefore, I thought it better if she learned it from me instead of some other source." Jack said carefully. For a long time Irina gave no sign whether she approved his reasons or not. Then suddenly she spun around.

"You knew my opinion," she snapped, her eyes sparkling with anger. "I told you my reasons, and you said you understood them. You lied to me!"

"No." Jack replied. "I did not lie to you, I still understand your reasons, Irina. It was a difficult decision for me, and I was afraid of the answer."

"How gentle of you to not make the decision easy! This is not fair. I trusted you. You promised me not to inform her..." Irina's outburst died in a small sob, and Jack got up and went to her, softly wrapping his arms around her to pull her against his shoulder.

"I know. And that's what I am sorry for, darling. I hated to break my promise."

"Then why did you do it? It was my decision," Irina murmured against the material of his jacket.

"Not exclusively. We are both involved in this, and if the queen learns that I am hiding a rebel – even more, protecting her from the consequences of law, she will think that I am sympathizing with the rebel group – which will only compromise my situation at court at the best. Worst case scenario is that she will throw me into the prison and execute me for betraying my country... and you as well." He buried his face in her chestnut locks and placed a soft kiss on her head. "If that happens, it was all for nothing. I don't have to tell you the consequences your family would have to suffer. I did not talk to the queen, because I wanted to betray you, Irina. I wanted to protect you since... I couldn't stand losing you."

Irina leaned her forehead against his shoulder, knowing deep inside that he was right – that the way he had dealt with the problem was the only reasonable one that existed. And knowing him, she was also sure that, of all possible ways, he had chosen the most diplomatic one. He was a great strategist and hadn't become the queen's counselor for nothing. Still, she felt betrayed and hurt that he had acted behind her back without consulting her beforehand.

"Why didn't you tell me?" she whispered, her eyes burning against her will. "Why did you just write the letter behind my back? I know you are my husband, but still, I want to be consulted when my own future is concerned."

Jack lifted her head to be able look into her eyes. "The last time we talked about this subject, you announced absolutely determined and serious that you would run away at once if the queen learned about your identity." He explained and wiped away the single tear that made its way down her cheek with his thumb. "I knew you meant what you said. And I was afraid that, if I let you know that I informed the queen, you would run away again. That would have surely not remained hidden from the queen – which would have questioned everything I wrote in the letter about you being sorry and asking for pardon. You can't blame me for taking the precaution of acting behind your back with this. I wasn't so fond of alarming my whole group of soldiers to find you."

Irina chuckled lightly, knowing that Jack was right. Damn him for knowing her so well. "You are a mean bastard, do you know that?"

"You happen to make sure I do," he mused, and Irina couldn't help but give a short laugh. Her anger at him faded away when she met his deep, passionate eyes, almost drowing in the tenderness she read in them.

"So..." she finally asked. "What did she write? Is there a reason for me to worry?"

"Not quite. Although, she sharply rebuked me for hiding you in the first place, she is willing to talk to us face to face. For that purpose, she invited us to visit the holiday festivities at court in two weeks. She wants to meet you in person and talk to you before she decides about your future," Jack explained and saw the hint of panic in Irina's face. Softly, he touched her cheeks. "That is a good sign. She is willing to listen to your story. Tell her what happened and how you got involved – just as you told it to me. In her letter, she indicated that she is willing to pardon you and your family if you prove as respectable as I've described you to be."

"She is just going to pardon, us without any consequences for our crimes? Jack, nobody would act that way." Irina murmured and hid her face at his shoulder. "What if she doesn't pardon me?"

"She will." Jack promised. "Of course there will be consequences. Most likely you will be relieved of your title and your property taken away. You will no longer belong to the nobility – which doesn't actually matter, since you are married to me, so you will still be called a lady."

Irina took a deep breath and looked at Jack. "I know that this is the only way, but still... I am not sure I can stand it. Everything I have been fighting for my whole life will be lost. What about the future of my sister? She will be poor, a member of the lower class. All her chances for a good marriage will be gone. Jack, I can't do that to her."

"We will find a way. Please trust me. I will do everything I can. There are possibilities to secure certain things for her. Maybe I can work out some kind of a deal, through which you can earn your title and property back."

"It is not fair. Elena is just my sister. She never had anything to do with the terrorists. All she did was cover for Katya or me– but what was she supposed to do? Betray her own sisters?" Irina silently pleaded with Jack with her eyes. "Please, she can't be the one who suffers most now."

"The queen is a very gracious woman. Tell your story to her, and then we'll see how the situation works out. And if nothing helps, there is still the possibility of running off with you." He joked and kissed Irina's forehead. The woman laughed and placed her hands on his cheeks.

"Why didn't you come up with that idea earlier? We could be living in Spain or France by now."

"Crazy woman." Jack chuckled and kissed her deeply. For a long time they forgot everything around them, just sinking into a series of tender kisses. Although she felt fear inside, Irina was also sure that she could trust Jack – that he was going to protect her whatever happened. And she was sure that he was quite capable of just running off with her if absolutely necessary. Although, she also knew that this was the last possibility and almost totally out of the question, since by running off he would lose everything.

Jack ran his hands through Irina's silky hair, wanting to hold her forever. What he had told her was the truth... although it was only a part of the truth. The main part of the letter had included another awful truth he did not know yet how to explain to her.

When they had broke contact, Irina's look was warm and she smiled. "Now, will you please join us downstairs again? I've been missing you terribly..."

Returning her tender smile, he nodded. "Yes... I will be downstairs in a minute."

"Good," Irina whispered, turning to go to the door. Then suddenly she stopped again, turning her head at Jack. "By the why, why did you never tell me about this room? It's lovely."

"Because I did my best to forget that it existed. This was the office my father used to work in. These are all his personal books..."

"Oh..." Irina said and looked at the portrait over the fireplace. "Is that him?" she asked, thinking that the face of the man seemed somehow familiar to her, but not knowing why.

"Yes." Jack replied evasively, and Irina noticed his reluctance to talk about his father.

"Fine, I will be waiting downstairs for you then," she announced softly and left the room. Still, Jack's reaction remained in her head. What had happened that he refused to talk about his father – that he had even tried to forget the personal property of his father. She decided to ask him as soon as their problems were solved, and their life had settled to normal.

O O O O 

"He did WHAT?" Elena stared at her sister, her hands on her hips, ready to storm out of the room just to beat the hell out of Jack Bristow. "He sold us out?"

"Would you calm down for a moment?" Irina demanded and pressed her back on the sofa. She had used a silent moment in the afternoon to talk to Elena about their future and what they had to expect.

"Calm down? Irina, am I the only one who thinks this whole situation is absolutely and unquestionably unacceptable?" Elena stared at her sister enraged.

"Just think for a moment," Irina said sharply and grabbed her shoulders. "Katya is dead. Our cover is blown anyway. The most reasonable thing to do is to try to end this in a peaceful way. I am not so fond of the idea to talk to the queen and beg for pardon either... but would you rather run and hide for the rest of your life? I don't."

"Well..." Elena murmured. "We could still pursue Katya's idea. The family of our mother in Russia will welcome us for sure. We would be safe there."

"In a country where we don't even speak the language, among people we have never met before." Irina remarked ironically. "I don't think that is worth longing for."

Elena sighed, silently admitting that her sister had a point, at least as far as she was concerned. Elena knew that Irina loved Jack Bristow, and even if she herself could not understand why, she was sure that Irina would rather go to prison for a certain amount of time if she could be with Jack afterwards, than to leave him forever.

As far as she herself was concerned, if their property was taken away, she had nothing left in England that she considered as home. Therefore, going to a strange country seemed more like a new start to her than an abandonment of home.

With a deep sigh she leaned back into the sofa and looked at Irina with a hint of sadness in her voice. "I would have never thought that it would end that way," she murmured.

"What would end?" Irina asked softly.

"This... our life... our team. We were always so good, you, Katya and me. I always thought we were invincible. There were so many moments when I thought it was over yet, we made it. Do you remember back then, when that group of soldiers stopped our carriage, which was full of smuggled goods?"

Irina laughed at the memory and smiled. "Yes..."

"I thought that was it. I thought we were made. Yet we got through it somehow... we didn't give up. And now everything is so... different." She smiled sadly at Irina. "Nothing will ever be the same again."

Irina looked at her for a long time, then suddenly hugged her tightly. "No it won't be the same again – but maybe it will be better someday. Maybe we have been given a chance to leave this whole vicious circle of crimes. We should take it. That doesn't mean we can't still have excitement in our lives. After all, we have to deal with the women at court somehow – and I am telling you, they can be worse than rebels."

Elena laughed and inhaled deeply. "I am not sure that is enough for me. I am not sure... I want it that way."

"What are you implying?"

"I was thinking about... going to Russia alone." Elena finally confessed, and Irina sat up, feeling as if she had been hit in the stomach. "I know what you're thinking now... I know that you love your Jack and that you don't want to leave him, but I... I have no such reason that would motivate me to even consider the kind of life that you are proposing. If our home is being taken away... our property... then I have no reason to stay here."

"But... what about me?" Irina whispered weakly, the pain hurting deep inside her heart. Never had she considered the possibility that their ways might separate one day.

"You have the man you love. I have seen how happy you are with him. You don't need me here..."

"How can you say that?" Irina asked, grabbing her younger sister's hand. "You are my sister."

"I am. But Jack is your husband. You love him... you should stay with him, Irina. And if you start to feel bored, you could still follow me to Russia. I just... I feel that this is the way I should go. I am sorry." Elena looked at her, pleading with her eyes for Irina to forgive her. The words she had spoken were the hardest ones she had ever spoken in her whole life.

"Don't be sorry." Irina finally whispered. "I have to accept your choice, if that is what makes you happy. When... I mean... are you planning to leave?" The thought of her sister being away seemed to break her heart.

"Don't worry. I am going to wait until you and Jack are back from your audience with the queen. After all, there is a tiny chance that you will have to go with me afterwards," she joked, and Irina laughed sadly, punching her playfully. At the moment it seemed impossible for her to live without her sister – but then it seemed equally impossible to leave Jack. The moment she had feared the whole time had finally come. She would have to choose between her sister and her love – and the decision she made would be a definitive one.


	26. A Dark Turn

**Part 25 – A Dark Turn**

_Two weeks later_

With a loud sound, the curtains and windows were opened. Some mumbled sounds of protest could be heard from the bed Irina was lying in.

"Good Morning, Milady," Sarah cheered happily, leaning out of the window and breathing in the fresh air of the city – which actually smelt a little rotten. But the young maid was too excited to care for the bad smell. Irina, on the contrary, pulled the sheets over her head and turned to her side. A few seconds later, Sarah pulled the blanket away from her.

"Sarah!" Irina exclaimed slightly outraged, sitting upright in her bed, her hair all tangled.

"I'm sorry, Milady, but the lord gave me permission to get you out of bed with all means necessary – even if that meant that I have to steal your sheets."

"He didn't say that!" Irina contradicted angrily, trying to grab the girl.

"Yes he did! He wants to go to the city with you in order to fetch the dress you ordered a few days ago. You have to try it on and alterations have to be made, so you look absolutely perfect for your audience tomorrow." Sarah chattered, putting the sheets down on the armchair that was the farthest distance from the bed. Irina growled, and covered her eyes with her hands.

She was not an early riser, in fact, getting up early ruined her mood for the whole day. And if she was awakened by having her blanket stolen, her level of aggression was at its highest. With a deep sigh she fell back onto the mattress and curled up, hugging her legs. She had just closed her eyes and dozed off again, when Sarah slammed the door loudly, starting a loud cheerful singing. It was too much for Irina, and she sat up after a while and started yelling at the girl.

"SARAH! Would you just shut your mouth and leave this room? Give me another hour or I swear, I am going to..." she burst out.

Sarah smiled. "Oh, the lord predicted that you would react that way, and he said that you should fight with him if you have any complaints."

Irina breathed in deeply. That was typical for Jack. Surely, he would have no problems at all if she came to him and yelled at him for waking her up that early after he had kept her awake during half of the night. He would simply tell her that she needed her dress, and therefore, it was necessary for her to get up. And damned, she knew he was right and that all yelling was futile.

With the darkest expression she was capable of, she got up and sat down in front of the mirror, taking her hairbrush. Still singing, Sarah came to her and took the brush out of her hand, starting to comb Irina's hair. The procedure was regularly interrupted by Irina's angry outcries when Sarah pulled too harshly. The maid ignored her. She knew that she wasn't doing anything wrong, but that Irina was angry and outraged and most likely tired. So she tried to cheer the woman up by telling her how wonderful London was and what she had the fortune to see – a fortune Irina didn't appreciate as much as Sarah.

While the maid was still young and excited, Irina already felt bored by the behavior at court. Nothing happened, the meeting in the tearoom in the afternoon was the climax of the day. During the last few days, she had only seen Jack when they were out visiting London. Here in the royal palace, he barely had time for her, since he had to talk to other counselors and people he knew. It was impossible to go anywhere without Jack meeting somebody he knew.

Yet she tried to see the things positively and not show her feelings, although she had asked herself more than once whether she was totally out of her mind. 

Thirty minutes later, Irina knocked at the door to the room Jack was sleeping in. It was custom that a couple didn't share a room – a fact which Irina found rather disturbing since she missed Jack's warmth when she woke up. At night he returned to his own room in order to prevent rumors or disgracing Irina's honor. He knew that the people were already talking about her and her origin.

When Irina entered Jack's room, he was already smiling at her. Obviously he was in a very cheerful mood today. He saw her dark expression and opened his mouth to tease her, but she lifted her hand.

"Don't!" she warned sharply and sat down at the small table, where breakfast had been prepared for them. Jack raised his eyebrows, but didn't comment. He sat down opposite to her, while a young maid served them tea. After she was done, Jack told her to leave them alone, and the maid hurried out of the room. 

"Are you feeling alright?"

"Am I feeling alright? I don't know... should I feel alright when I am forced to get up after only five hours of sleep? Just so we are clear, I will not allow you entrance to my room tonight." Irina ranted and took an apple from the plate with fruits. "And stop grinning."

"I'm sorry..." Jack said honestly. "But you're just so sweet when you are angry."

Just having opened her mouth to continue her ranting, she did not know what to respond to such a charming compliment. Her cheeks blushed slightly, and Jack noted it, but didn't say anything. He knew better than to tempt her further. Although he himself enjoyed the small quarrels and fights they had from time to time, he didn't want the whole court witness it. And even less did he want Irina to be the subject of more rumors than she needed to be. So he left her alone for the time she needed to calm down. He knew that her mood would soon improve if she had eaten something and drunk some tea.

"Jack..." Irina indeed addressed him around fifteen minutes later. He lifted his eyes from the newspaper he was reading and lowered his cup of tea. 

"Mmm?"

"If we are in the city today, can we go to the park that we discovered three days ago? I mean, after we have the dress, of course."

He smiled softly, feeling warmth running through his body. God, how much he loved this woman.

"Yes, of course. We can eat dinner in a small pension and spend the afternoon in the park."

Irina's face lightened up, and she smiled at him. Jack knew how much she liked the city, and he himself was glad for every second that he didn't have to spend in the palace. He wanted to spend time with her and that was impossible when being here, since wherever they went, he met a person he had to talk to out of courtesy. And although Irina had not said a word in complaint, he knew that it bothered her to just stand there and smile while he was talking to a person she didn't even know.  
The more he had observed her at court, how she tried to adapt to the manners that were requested, the more he was convinced that she didn't belong here. Not that she behaved inappropriately, on the contrary. She behaved like a perfect lady – but that also meant that she didn't show her fiery temperament anymore. And that was exactly what he loved so much about her. He missed her snappy comments and the way she yelled at him when he had said something wrong. She was just not herself when being at court. He knew how much she despised the behavior, and yet she was showing it herself now - so as not to dishonor him.

The day before she had even taken an insult against the Russian part of her family with merely a courteous smile. Jack appreciated the gesture, but enough was enough. Of course he knew that there was no other way for Irina to behave, but he was determined to put an end to this as soon as Irina was officially his wife. He would retire from active duty. Considering everything that he had done for this country, he had every right to, and he felt that this was just the right moment. He wanted to start a family with Irina, and his child should have its mother's spirit, not the false attitude that was manner at court.

Thoughtfully, he observed Irina finishing her breakfast. Instead of worrying about her behavior, he should worry about other things first. He still hadn't talked to her. Yet, he had to tell her about the information he had received in the queen's letter before she had the audience the next day. Otherwise, Irina would learn the truth about the raid on their house twenty-five years ago from her...

When they left the palace forty minutes later, both felt as if a weight was lifted from them, improving their mood. Irina even made some teasing comments when they were in the tailor's store, and she was standing on a chair while a few younger women hurried around her, correcting the cut here and there.

When they returned to the palace in the late afternoon, they had spent a pleasurable, refreshing day out, both being rather cheerful. Retiring to their rooms, they dressed for the evening soiree that was going to take place – as it did every evening. Irina sighed when she looked at her face in the mirror while Sarah did her hair.

Another evening filled with boring conversations and information that didn't interest her in the least was lying before her. She would have to listen to rumors and gossip about absent ladies for hours. Sighing deeply, she leaned back. 

"Sarah, why am I doing this?" she murmured, and the young maid laughed.

"Because you love him. You look so beautiful, Milady... you can compete with all those ladies down there combined."

"Yes... but I don't even want to compete with them actually..." she murmured. "And the thought that the rest of my life is going to be like this scares me."

"But it won't." Sarah continued to chatter happily. "You won't live here all the time. You will be at Bristow manor, and soon you will get pregnant, and then you will not feel bored anymore. You will start a family."

Irina sat up so abruptly that Sarah accidentally poked her with the hairpin. "I'm sorry!" she cried out in shock, but Irina just stared at her in the mirror. Pregnant... family... the words resounded in her head and caused a certain nausea to build up inside her. Surely she should have thought of that before. She could be already pregnant – but what if she was? Her future was still uncertain... she was still uncertain. She loved Jack, that was unquestionable, but suddenly the possibility that she was pregnant was so close. Was she ready to settle down and start a family yet?

"Milady, are you alright?"

"What? Yes... sure... go on please, Jack is certainly already waiting for me." She murmured absently. She would love to have Jack's children of course, but she didn't want her children to grow into the life she was leading right now – having to listen to gossip nobody was really interested in, and bowing in front of the government.

When she went downstairs twenty minutes later, she looked so stunningly beautiful, that Jack stared at her for ten seconds, until he remembered that he was expected to offer his arm to her. Irina didn't even realize his fascination. She had only smiled at him very shortly.  
After the audience tomorrow she would speak with Jack about her concerns. She trusted him, and if what he said were true, that he loved her, he would understand her fears and give her time.

"Are you alright?" Jack asked quietly into her ear when they entered the huge ballroom.

"Yes, of course." Irina nodded and forced herself to smile at some ladies she had met two nights before. "I just... feel homesick I think."

He looked at her concerned and then bent to her to place a tender kiss on her ear. "I promise, we will leave as soon as possible."

She smiled at him faintly and pressed his hand. "Thank you." Then she loosened from him to greet the women. Jack looked after her tenderly and went on to a group of men who were members of the council.

Time seemed to pass by even slower that night. Every time Irina's eyes wandered to the large clock at the wall, she wondered how it could be that only a few minutes had passed. When the dance floor was opened, she danced courteously with the lords who asked her to. She had looked out for Jack, but he seemed to have vanished – most likely he was engaged in a political discussion with a group of men in one of the parlors.  
That was not unusual. Most of the ladies didn't see their own husband once at parties like this – a possibility which most of them took to pursue flirtations or even more, start an affair. Maybe she would have to do that in order to gain Jack's attention. She smiled at that thought, a smile that her dance partner mistook for a flirtatious gesture, reducing the distance between them. Irina was happy when the orchestra stopped playing for a moment, so she had an excuse to leave the floor in order to get rid of the man.

A little lost, she strolled through the people who were having conversations at the edge of the floor. Desperately she scanned the room for Jack, but even if he were present, there were so many people in the room that it was almost impossible for her to spot him.

Instead of Jack, she suddenly spotted Arvin Sloane five meters away from her. He was overlooking the dancing couples, standing there as if he were not involved in the party in any way. Irina turned around slowly, trying to retire unnoticed, but it was too late. By chance, Arvin saw her, and when she heard him call her name, she knew it would be insulting not to stop and greet him. Therefore she turned and smiled courteously.

"Lord Sloane... what a pleasure to meet you here!"

He took her hand and placed a soft kiss on her knuckles, his eyes never leaving hers. The way he was looking at her made her feel cheap, and so she did her best to excuse herself as fast as possible.

"I'm sorry, but I was just looking for my husband. He must be here somewhere, and I should rather..."

"Oh, I just met him five minutes ago. He seemed to be actively involved in a discussion about the latest tax reductions. You should rather not disturb him now."

"Oh..." Irina murmured. "Well... I..."

"Shall we dance?" Sloane asked, offering his hand to her. Irina looked around in a last desperate attempt to find an excuse.

"I'd rather not..." she started, but Arvin interrupted her softly.

"Don't tell me that the most beautiful woman at the party tonight, insults me by refusing to dance with me." He pulled Irina softly onto the dance floor and ignored her initial resistance. Irina followed him. She knew that he was right. It would be insulting to not dance with him, and every insult she committed would reflect negatively on Jack. Arvin was a powerful man at court, and besides, he was one of Jack's friends; therefore, she forced herself to be kind. Silently, she prayed for the orchestra to pause again soon.

Arvin Sloane started a leisurely chat with her, which Irina only took part in if absolutely necessary. She did what etiquette required her to do, but not more. Avoiding looking into his eyes directly, she scanned the room for a sign of Jack.

"You know Milady that you have my greatest respect for your decision?"

"What decision?" Irina asked absently.

"The decision to stay with your husband, despite his involvement with your past. After all, it must have been a shock to you." Arvin continued, and now Irina looked at him in confusion.

"Milord, I don't know what you are talking about."

"You don't have to worry. The queen filled me in confidentially. I know about the circumstances. I was aware that Jack's father had always used his own methods and even sometime committed crimes in the name of the kingdom. I knew that those methods were the reason for his final execution – but I would have never thought that he would go so far as to start an unsanctioned raid on your house."

Irina stared at Arvin Sloane, the meaning of his words seeming so unreasonable to her that she didn't know what to say.

"Yet, I admire that you still have the strength to stay with your husband after you learned that his family destroyed yours. There are not many wives who would act that way – especially when offered the chance to annul the marriage."

"Wait..." Irina murmured, her feet refusing to follow the dance steps any longer, and she accidentally stepped on Arvin's feet. "Jack's father... raided our house and killed my mother?" She stared at him, her mind working frantically. The picture! The picture in the attic room she had seen... the portrait of Jack's father! Now she knew why she had recognized him. Although the man in the portrait was a little older, the similarities were undeniable.

"Oh my god..." she whispered, and suddenly the room started to spin in front of her eyes. Her heart broke, and her whole future seemed to be lost suddenly. Everyone had been right: Katya, Elena, her father. All of them had told her to never trust a British soldier. Yet she had done so – even more, she had given him her heart.

Her eyes started to burn, and she felt nauseous all of a sudden. Arvin Sloane prevented her from stumbling at the last moment.

"Milady, I am sorry... I didn't know that you were unaware of the circumstances. Jack told me..."

But Irina didn't listen to him anymore. She freed herself from him, turned around and hurried away from the dancing couples. Her vision became blurred when she fought her way through the people. She felt paralyzed. Jack had known the truth all along – maybe even since the beginning. Her mind even went so far as to assume that their first meeting in the woods had not been a coincidence. Everything had been a lie. Tears filled her eyes, although she tried desperately to maintain her countenance.

"Irina!"

She stopped and saw Jack coming towards her. The smile on his face faded when he looked into her eyes and saw the tears standing there. Concerned, he handed her a white handkerchief. "Are you alright?"

The shock almost paralyzed him when she slapped the white cloth out of his hand, the expression in her eyes now changing to hate and rage.

"Don't you ever talk to me again!" she hissed, turned around and rushed passed a group of young women, which were eyeing them obviously curious, out of the hall. Jack stared after her, apologized absently to a man who had just moved towards him to engage him in a conversation, and followed Irina quickly. The corridors of the palace suddenly became unbearably long to him. Her behavior was a puzzle to him. What had happened that she was that upset?

Finally, he reached Irina's room. Trying the handle, he found the door locked.

"Irina..." Jack asked loudly, since he was the only person in the corridor at the moment. No answer. "Irina, open the door." He waited for another twenty seconds, but when there was still no sign that Irina was going to comply with his wish, he became slightly irritated. "Open the door." His request was sharper now, accompanied with a knock at the door.

Finally he heard the lock being disengaged and the door opened. Irina looked at him, knowing that a scene on the floor would only ignite rumors among the nobility. She pulled Jack inside and slammed the door shut, her eyes blazing with anger and deep hurt.

"Let me make this clear, Lord Bristow." She hissed coldly with a good amount of sarcasm in her voice. "You can no longer consider me your wife, you damned English bastard."

Jack stared at her open-mouthed, totally unprepared for her hostile attack, before anger waved over him.

"Irina, have you lost your mind?" He asked, grabbing her wrist.

"Yes!" she snapped back. "I have lost my mind, otherwise I would have never trusted you. When did you plan to tell me about your involvement with the raid on our house?"

Jack gave a deep sigh, letting go of Irina's hand. "How did you..."

"So it is true." She murmured, almost indifferently. Deep inside she had still tried to convince herself that everything was just a big misunderstanding, that Jack had no idea about all of this. Only her eyes betrayed the deep pain she felt inside. "It is true, you knew all along." Her voice became a whisper, and she let herself sink onto her bed. "Oh god, how could I be so stupid..."

"Irina, I planned to tell you..." Jack explained softly and went to his knees in front of her. "I wanted to speak with you tonight after the party. I..."

"Don't you lie to me!" She pushed him away. "I hate you! I even defended you in front of my sister. I told her you were different from the men who raided our house... when actually you were one of them!" She pounced on him, desperately starting to pummel his chest and easing the rage and pain she felt inside a little. Jack tried to catch her wrists, but her deep sadness and her fury gave her immense power. When he realized that she was determined to seriously hurt him, he yelled at her to stop and listen to him, warning her to stop beating him, but she didn't even react. She seemed ready to kill.

Jack had never been violent against a woman, and especially he had never imagined being violent against Irina. But what happened during the next seconds was beyond his control. When her fist hit his face painfully, he saw his only chance to free himself from her attack by grabbing her and slamming her against the bed. Irina cried out when her back hit the hard wood painfully, the shock at Jack's strength standing in her wide eyes. When Jack moved towards her a little, she at first expected him to beat her and shielded her face with her hands, until she noticed the concern standing in his eyes – fear to have seriously hurt her. All she could do was stare at him. Slowly she regained her self-control. Jack was looking at her, his lip bleeding, while his hand felt for the swell.

Still totally stunned by her own reaction, Irina lifted her trembling hand, wanting to reach out and touch him, but the knowledge of who he was held her back. She felt the stitching pain in her back and stretched with a slight moan.

"Are you alright?" Jack asked concerned and crawled to her, wanting to help her up. "I am sorry. I don't know what I was thinking. I didn't want to hurt you, sweetheart."

Irina ignored his hand, and lifted without his assistance. "Please go." She then requested.

"Irina..."

"Damned bastard! Go." She snapped more emphatically, her head turning and her eyes boring into him. "I don't ever want to talk to you again!"

Irritation took over his concern. Yes, he had lied to her. And he surely hadn't wanted to hurt her. He had just wanted to make her stop her irrational attack. But she hadn't even given him the possibility to explain. Knowing that she would be outraged if she learned the truth, he had wanted to wait for the right moment. Whom had she heard the truth from?

"Maybe it's better to continue this conversation in the morning, when you are in a rational mood again." He said coldly. "Good night."

Without looking at her, he turned to leave the room, slamming the door shut soundly behind him. Only two seconds later, he heard the shattering sound of porcelain and prayed silently that Irina wouldn't destroy more than he was able to pay for.

Tears were standing in Irina's eyes as she looked at the closed door, then at the shattered vase on the ground right next to the door. No, she would not cry. Determined, she wiped the tears away with the back of her hand, only to have new tears form immediately in her eyes. She started to tremble.

The truth about what she had learned was so ironic that, if being in another situation, she would have simply laughed. Jack, the person she had trusted the most, was her worst enemy and belonged to the family her father had sworn to kill. Her father had never told his daughters the names of their mother's murderers, but more than once the sisters had witnessed him vowing that he was going to destroy that family as much as his own family had been destroyed.

Thinking about everything that had happened, the idea that Jack had planned all of this seemed a quite reasonable explanation. He had kissed her the first night that they had met. He had searched for her throughout the country. He had been the one posing as her fiancé in front of Cuvee, provoking their marriage. And it was he who had seduced her in the first place.

Craftily, he had gained her trust. And she had acted like a naive girl and fallen in love with him. Despite everything she knew, everything her father and sisters had told her, she had given in to Jack. Part of her had wanted to believe in his love. But as she thought about the situation now, it had been too perfect to be true. Jack had been too patient. He had been willing to do everything for her – he had even bared the constant insults of her sister. What was his plan? Had he just been using her to destroy the terrorist group?

"Oh wait," Irina murmured, clenching her hands to fists. "You are going to regret this, Jack Bristow. You will not play with me ever again..."

She stared at her hands, her vision becoming blurred. Hot tears fell down onto her dress, while deep inside she fought the desperate feeling of heartbreak. He had broken her. But she would not give up as defeated. Her hopes for a future with Jack were shattered, her female dream of the deep love that might be fulfilled, burst. All that she had left now was her rage – the rage she had felt all her life and that had kept her alive. She was sure it would rescue her again...


	27. Nightly Encounters

**Part 26 – Nightly Encounters**

It was almost midnight, when a knock at the door startled Irina. She had spent the last hours sitting paralyzed in her armchair, staring into the crackling flames in the fireplace. A blanket wrapped around her shoulders, she sat there without moving, hugging her knees with her arms. Silent tears ran down her cheeks from time to time, but she didn't make any sound. She was beyond crying. All that was left inside her was a dull pain, overwhelming and stronger than any pain she had ever felt in her life. All she wished for was, that Jack were able to soothe her pain. But he wasn't – he would never be. She felt as lonely and forlorn as one could feel.

When the knock on the door startled her, her first thought was that it was Jack and, determined not to let him in, she didn't react. But when a second knock could be heard, together with Lord Sloane's voice, asking her whether she was still awake, she wiped away her tears. Slowly she went to the door and disengaged the lock.

Arvin Sloane looked at her with concern when she opened the door, bowing slightly.

"Milady, I just came to apologize for my rude words earlier. I shouldn't have talked to you about this. I didn't know that you had no idea."

"It is not your fault." Irina attempted to smile, but failed. Everything in her expression betrayed the pain she felt inside.

"Is there anything I can do for you?" Softly, Irina shook her head, but Arvin didn't let go. "Please, Milady. I feel terrible. I heard that you and your husband had a horrible fight, and I can't get rid of the feeling that it is my fault."

Irina shook her head. "Milord, I assure you, it is not your fault. Don't blame yourself..."

"Then allow me to take you for a walk. I don't feel comfortable with leaving you alone... you can tell me everything that happened, and we will try to find a way. I am sure it is not as bad as you think now." He touched her hand softly, and Irina looked into his tender eyes. His words seemed to be righteous and so, after having thought for a few moments, she nodded hesitantly. After all, Sloane was an old friend of Jack's. He knew the truth and would probably be able to answer a few questions.

She stepped out of the room and closed the door behind her, taking the arm that Sloane offered her. Silently they walked side by side along the long corridor and down the stairs into the large entrance hall. Through a smaller door at the side, they left the palace and went into the huge garden.

"What a beautiful night." Sloane finally started leisurely conversation, trying to distract Irina from her dark thoughts. She kept silent. When he realized that he couldn't cheer her up, he eventually sighed. "Irina, I advised Jack several times to tell you about his involvement. I told him to tell you the truth from the start, but he wouldn't listen to me. I am sorry for being such an idiot to not tell you myself. But last time I visited your house, Jack assured to me that he had spoken with you. He told me that you understood and that you had forgiven him. And I believed him. After all, he was only ten years old back then and barely responsible for the actions of his father."

"He didn't tell me." Irina whispered. "I had no idea... although I should have known all along. Thinking about it now, nothing about the way we met seems to be a coincidence. He searched for me, and he followed me... and I was naive enough to believe that it was out of true affection."

"I apologize. I should have warned you... but after seeing you at the party, how beautiful and gorgeous you were, I thought Jack might have changed his mind." Sloane continued and patted her hand. "If I had known that he was just using you, I would have told you everything. True, I did not behave like a perfect gentleman when we met, but if there is one thing I despise, it is men who use ladies for their means."

Irina stopped and turned to him. "What do you mean by use?"

Arvin looked at her, shaking his head sadly. "I probably shouldn't tell you this."

But when Irina persisted to inquire him to tell her, he finally sighed. "Milady, I would never tell you this if I didn't think it was necessary for you to know. When his father died, on his deathbed Jack had to make a promise to him. Your father, Irina, Lord Derevko had been his worst enemy. He had partly destroyed his reputation and made several attempts on his life. Jack had to swear that he would make Derevko's family pay for that. He swore to finish the task his father had been unable to complete. I never took this vow seriously. Jack was... well, he was different from his father, and I thought it was merely a promise given to an old man who was dying – a promise worth nothing. But after the incident with your sister... after hearing about you, I was concerned that it had not just been an empty vow. I am sorry. As a honorable gentleman it should have been my course of action to shield you from his revenge." In the pale light of the moon he saw tears running down Irina's cheeks. Discreetly, he pulled out a handkerchief, handing it to her. "Milady, I wish I could have spared you from that pain. You deserve way better than that. I will make sure that Lord Bristow pays for his shameless use of your person."

Irina sobbed, trying desperately to suppress her tears. Her mind revolted against the revelation. All the time she had been a means to an end. Everything Jack had thought of was to take revenge for his father. She had merely been a lure to complete this aim, her willingness in bed most likely being nothing more than a nice side effect for him, a cheap whore.

Suddenly her stomach seemed to revolt and nausea took her over. She held her belly and her face paled. Everything she had believed in had been a lie. Jack's whole person was a lie.

Carefully, Arvin Sloane led her to a bench that was standing behind a nearby hedge. Concerned he looked at her, then patted her hand.

"You look awfully pale. I will fetch a glass of water for you. I'll be back in a few minutes." He said softly and Irina nodded, thankful for the moments he granted her to be alone. She watched him go all the way back to the palace. Then silence surrounded her, only interrupted by the wind rustling in the trees and the desperate sound of a lonely nightingale somewhere in the distance.

Why had Jack gone to such lengths if all he wanted was revenge? Why had he arranged an audience with the queen for her? Was that part of his payback? Had he wanted to break her rebellious spirit? If so, he had succeeded in every point. For him, she had given everything up. There was no going back, and she knew that. Her identity was known, she was a revolutionary, a criminal – her family was disgraced. Her own rebel group wanted to kill her and a pardon agreement from the queen was her last chance to protect the life of herself and her family. It was either that or execution. Her life was lying in his hands. He had enticed her to this audience, but what if her cards were already laid? What if the audience was only a formality? Maybe her execution was already planned, and the audience was just a way to make her failure complete...

Her dark thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the crackling sound of a few branches on the ground close to the bench – the opposite direction of the castle. Irina startled and turned slightly to look into the darkness. Being all alone out in the garden past midnight was not one of the best ideas. Even if she was in the palace garden, there were still servants or ruthless soldiers who would take advantage of a situation like this.

"Who is there?" she asked courageously into the darkness and from the shadow of a tree, a tall man appeared. Slowly he approached the bench Irina was sitting on. She narrowed her eyes, trying to recognize him. "Who are you?"

"So easily forgotten, my dear Irina?" A well known voice answered her question. Irina exhaled almost relieved – but only for a moment, then her tension returned when she realized that the man before her was not a dear friend anymore.

"Gerard, what are you doing here? How did you get here?"

"Chance..." Gerard Cuvee replied, having reached the bench now. "I didn't expect to meet you here, at court."

"Then we have something in common." She murmured and lowered her eyes to hide the fact that she had cried.

"You look amazing, if you allow me to say that." He complimented her, a soft smile playing on his face, swallowed by the dim light of the moon. He sat down next to her, sighing deeply. Irina glanced at him.

"What are you doing here, Gerard?"

"Business..." he replied evasively. Irina knew what business meant. Somewhat bewildered she looked at him directly now.

"What kind of business?"

He chuckled, his brown eyes meeting hers. His hand reached out and touched her lips. "Do you expect me to be so stupid to tell you about that when I know that you are married to a counselor of the queen?"

"Not for long..." she murmured quietly, and Gerard straightened.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that it was a mistake. You were right... but it doesn't matter anymore." He could see her eyes glisten damply and took her hand softly.

"Irina, darling." His hand touched her shoulder and his face closed the distance to hers. "Are you crying? Damn, what did he do to you?"

"Gerard, I..." Irina tried to evade him, but he held her close.

"Irina, I know our last encounter was not the friendliest one. Threatening to kill you was stupid – I would never have gone through with the plan. Consider it a bad day, so much had gone wrong that week. I am your friend, Irina. Even more...you know I have always felt the deepest respect for you." His hand moved along her waist. "And I understand your longing for a little affair with the queen's counsel. If you think I am angry at you, I..."

"You had my sister killed." Irina stated dryly, looking at him. "So don't tell me that you are still my friend or not angry at me."

"What?" He looked at her open-mouthed. "I... I had what? Are you out of your mind?"

His contradiction came so passionately that she started to doubt her own words. "My sister, Katya. You had her killed..." she repeated her accusation, weaker this time.

"Irina, I swear to god, I did not order anyone to kill your sister. Neither did one of our superiors. She was in my team, so I would know if the group had decided to pull her out. I was wondering about her whereabouts myself. She didn't show up for over six weeks. I had two of my men searching her, because I thought she might have also fallen in love with a counsel." His voice betrayed a certain amusement, a poor attempt to joke, but Irina remained serious. Gerard shook his head. "Are you telling me she is dead? Who killed her?"

"Yes... I... oh my god... you are saying that our group did not kill her?" The realization of what those words meant washed over her like a massive wave of ice, laying down on her heart like a heavy stone. If Katya had not been killed by the rebels, could it be...?

"Oh god, Gerard, I have made a terrible mistake..." she gasped, and softly, he took her in his arms.

"Shh... Irina calm down. I have never seen you that outraged. Tell me what happened. I promise, everything will be okay again."

"It's Bristow. He played me. Obviously I was just... part of a sick plan of his. And I fell for it. Oh god, I feel so stupid." She reveled for a moment in the familiar warmth of him. How many passionate moments had she shared with this man? Yet, somehow his warmth had lost its appeal now. It couldn't fill the deep void in her heart, couldn't soothe the pain. Her fascination for this strong, handsome rebel in front of her seemed to be part of another lifetime, another woman.

Softly Gerard let his hand run through her hair, whispering sweet comforts into he ear. "Tell me everything that happened. I will help you, Irina. I promise, we will make that bastard pay for using you."

Irina's eyes found his, and she was unsure whether to accept his offer. Despite everything Jack had done, the thought of him suffering made her heart ache even more. Despite everything that had happened, she couldn't deny how deep her love for him had become.

"I just want... I want to go away..." Irina murmured. "My sister planned to go to Russia after I return from the audience with the queen tomorrow. I want to go with her."

He looked at her for a long time, his thumb tenderly stroking along her lower lip. "But you can't just let him get away with everything he has done to you... where is the woman I used to know. The reckless fighter without scruples?"

Irina smiled faintly. "She belongs to another lifetime. Please, Gerard... if what you say is true, that you want to help me, then help me and my sister to go to Russia. We will need money and someone to watch our backs. I can not trust the queen, and when I don't attend the audience tomorrow, we will be in danger of being captured and executed."

His eyes held hers for a long time, eventually, he nodded. "I will see what I can do. Don't worry. I am going to help you." His face lowered to hers and his soft lips touched hers in a tender kiss. For a split second Irina gave in to the caress, the she pulled back.

"Please don't..." She couldn't bear the kiss of another man, when the touch of Jack's sweet caresses was still laying hotly on them. In fact, she didn't ever want to kiss a man again.

Gerard looked at her, and placed a tender kiss on her knuckles instead of her lips. "Irina, you have to do something for me in return?"

"What?" she asked and watched him reach into his pocket.

"This..." he murmured and placed a small flacon with a brown liquid in her hand. Irina looked at it and then lifted her eyes questioning.

"What is that?"

"We are so close to everything we ever dreamed of. Just one step away. I had another woman ready to fulfill this task, but you are the most trustful woman I know." He looked down and closed her fingers around the small bottle, his hand wrapped around hers. "The opportunity is better than we could ever dream. You have to attend the audience tomorrow. You have to act as if you still want to be pardoned. And when you have tea with the queen, I want you to add five drops of that liquid into her tea."

Irina inhaled sharply, staring at him, but Gerard held her close, his eyes pleading with her.

"It looks like perfume, and if you are asked about it, that's what you tell them. Nobody would be able to trace it back to you."

"Gerard..." Irina contradicted reluctantly.

"You told me you want to take revenge. This is what you have been fighting for all your life my dear. When the queen is dead, our group will take over the power, and everything is going to change. I promise you, I will serve you Bristow on a silver platter then, and you will get all the revenge you want. I am going to make him lie at your feet."

"Don't do that..." Irina pleaded weakly. "I know what I wanted. I know what I fought for my whole life, but... I am not sure I can murder the queen. It is not important to me anymore..."

"Irina, darling." Gerard kissed her knuckles again. "You can't tell me that everything you did, everything we did together was for nothing. Now we have the opportunity to accomplish what we have worked for. I just thought you might want to be part of it." His eyes dropped. "Of course, I understand if you don't feel up to it at the moment. I guess I will go for that other woman then. She's a close servant to the queen. There is going to be a possibility for her to do it. Not as effectively and quickly, but soon enough..." He wanted to take the flacon back, but Irina suddenly pulled her hand away.

"Wait." She whispered, staring at the liquid in the pale moonlight. He was right. This was what she and her sisters had tried to achieve…a chance to make everybody pay for the harm and suffering that had been done to their family by the queen. This was what they had promised their father to accomplish.

"I will do it..." she finally whispered, her words sounding to herself as if spoken by another, strange person. "You are right. That was what I lived for my whole life. I wanted to take revenge... and now I can take it. I will be free afterwards. I am going to do it."

Gerard's face lightened up. "That's my girl. Listen to me carefully now. Five drops into her tea. She will break down then. See that you get out of the palace as quickly as possible. I will wait for you right here in the garden, and in two weeks at the latest, you will be on your way to Russia. Nobody is ever going to find you or your sister."

Irina looked at the liquid and let it disappear in the pocked of her dress then. The sound of steps approaching them could be heard in the distance.

"That's Lord Sloane..." Irina whispered. "You have to go... he must not see us together. Please go!"

Gerard got up and smiled at her faintly. "I will meet you here tomorrow. Good luck!" And with these hushed words, he disappeared into the shadows of the trees. Not one second too late, for only an instant later, Arvin Sloane came around the hedge, handing her a glass of water with an apologizing smile on his face.

"I am terribly sorry, Milady. I was held up by a gentleman I knew." He sat down next to her, and Irina smiled absently, taking a sip of the water.

"Thank you, Milord."

"Are you feeling better?" he asked with concern on his face, and she nodded.

"Yes, a little. I feel tired though. I think it is time for me to retire to bed. It is not appropriate for me to be here anyway. After all, it is way past midnight." She smiled charmingly and got up. "I apologize that you went such great lengths to fetch me a glass of water."

Arvin Sloane lifted as well and kissed her hand gallantly. "I would do everything for a beautiful woman like you. Sleep well, Milady. I will follow you back inside in five minutes, but in order to prevent damage to your reputation, I think it better if we don't come back together. The gentleman in the entrance hall knows me and he will surely recognize you as well. If you ever need help, contact me."

"I will." Irina smiled. "Thank you." And with these words, she turned around and left. Gathering up her dress, she hurried back to the palace. Arvin got up and looked after her, a satisfied smile playing around the corner of his mouth.

"Everything went as you predicted."

Arvin turned his head at this comment and looked at Gerard Cuvee, who approached him slowly, hands folded behind his back. Smugly, he laughed.

"It was brilliant of you to make her believe that Bristow used her to take revenge." Cuvee continued, and Sloane scoffed ironically.

"Of course it was brilliant. Their love is still too young, and they are both driven by too many doubts and prejudices to trust each other unconditionally. She is so hurt that she won't question Jack about what I told her. Did she agree to take the flacon?" Sloane asked, turning his head away again.

"Yes," Cuvee reported. "She was hesitant at first, but I made her think it was a good idea. I am not sure if she will go through with it though. She seemed determined, but I have the feeling that her attitude changed."

Arvin Sloane looked at him. "She doesn't have to do it. All she has to do is carry the bottle with her to the audience. Whether she does it or not, the poison is going to be in the tea, I have arranged for that. And when she has the bottle with her, there is no way she can talk herself out of it. The poison will take its effect immediately, and Irina Derevko will be surrounded by guards before she realizes what happened."

Gerard Cuvee nodded, then kept silently thoughtfully for a moment before he voiced a concern. "Are you sure that Bristow won't believe in her innocence? As far as I know, he is desperately in love with her."

"Yes, but I already planted doubts in his heart. They are weak, but when the queen dies while Irina is alone with her, and then the poison is found in her possession, there is no way he would believe her…no matter how desperately she claims her innocence. He is going to think that she used him the whole time, her relationship with him being a means to an end. And to exclude all possibilities, I arranged for a witness, who saw Irina with you in the garden tonight. She couldn't recognize you, but heard your discussion and saw you handing her the poison. In a month Irina Derevko will be dead, nobody will expect us to have anything to do with the queen's murder, and I am going to take over the throne. All the years of work will finally pay off." Arvin smiled contently and folded his arms, letting the man behind him believe that he could take part in the great success. The truth was, Gerard Cuvee would be dead by then, believed to be the man who tasked Irina Derevko with the murder of the queen. And then finally all his witnesses would be gone. Nobody would know that he was behind this. Really nobody? To make sure that was the case, he still needed Cuvee. "Have you finally found Katya Derevko's body?"

"No, Milord. My men are searching the whole river, but so far there is not a sign of her…except for the scarf I already gave you. Even the interrogation of the peasants along the river didn't give any proof for her being alive. Nobody has seen a heavily injured woman. If you ask me, there is no way she could have survived."

"But I don't ask you! I know Katya Derevko. She is a dangerous woman, capable of everything – even surviving being stabbed and thrown into the icy Thames. I want to exclude every possibility for interference. I don't have to tell you what the consequences would be if suddenly a witness appeared who knows that I am the leader of the rebel group, so keep searching for her!"

"As you wish, Milord." Gerard bowed slightly.

Without any further word, Sloane went back to the palace. Gerard Cuvee looked after him and shook his head slightly. If it hadn't been for his ideologies, nothing in the world would have pursued him to work for a scoundrel like Arvin Sloane. Soon though, they would be at the end of their way – and that prospect was worth collaborating with the greatest ass of the country...


End file.
